


Fate/Grand Goddess Resurrection

by DankSouls



Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Hyperdimension Neptunia, アルノサージュ ~生まれいずる星へ祈る詩~ | Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-15 06:04:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 88,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11799957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DankSouls/pseuds/DankSouls
Summary: They say happy endings can never be overwritten. A world from beyond would like to say otherwise.





	1. "Prologue"

**_Fate/Grand Goddess Resurrection_ **

****

**_Prologue:_ **

****

**_"A Purple colored miracle from the sky."_ **

 

* * *

 

 

_I can feel it._

_The rush of air that a living being can feel as they fall down from a very tall height, or in my case, an endless, dark void…_

_Fear gripped my heart, despite the fact that I could see no land below, nor have any reason to fear death. All that I see…is just an endless void, and all I feel is my body falling, falling, falling down endlessly…_

 

" _Young man…can you hear my voice…?"_

_A bright, purple ball of light descends from above, calling out to me._

 

" _Please…please help me. I…do not have anywhere else to go to. Will you…reach out to me?"_

_I looked at the ball of light._

 

" _For me, it doesn't matter what you are. Please…let me hold onto you…"_

_The ball of light says once again…_

_I can understand how it feels too. I…want someone to hold on too, right now…_

 

" _I…will help you…." I said as I reached out my hand to the purple ball of light…_

_A hand bursts out of the ball of light, and grabs the one I reached out, glowing with purple light in the process…_

 

" _Thank you…I shall make sure to thank your kindness when we meet. Don't worry…I shall be by your side soon…"_

_The voice says in a warm, happy tone of voice. Now that I think about it, the voice…resembles that of a mature, young lady…_

_However, before I could ponder any further, everything around me, including the endless dark void and the ball of light, dissipates into a white, empty background…_

 

* * *

 

 

I opened my eyes.

 

Sunlight was already streaming through the gaps between the curtains, indicating that morning has come. Warmth caresses the entirety of my body as my sleepy senses steadily spark to awakening.

 

My bed…really is the best sanctuary in the planet. If it could turn into a cute girl complete with a functioning biological body, I'd marry it. Although, obviously, that is just wishful thinking. And besides, considering all the…atrocities I've done alone in my room, bedtime would be awkward. Something like my anthromorphic bed asking me if I'm about to take out the tissues and start my eroge marathon would definitely count.

 

Oh, lord, the horror.

 

Before I could continue with snuggling myself in my warm sanctuary, the alarm beside my futon rang out suddenly and loudly, that I slightly jumped into sitting up. Damn it, why didn't I turn off the alarm function yesterday?! Especially, since my summer break from has just started today! I…I was supposed to linger in this warm sanctuary more longer! Please, don't let either of my parents hear that alarm! I don't want to leave yet!

 

Oh, right, you might be wondering why I would think like that. Well…let's see…

 

I live in a large, Japanese style house, with only about three people living in it, namely me, my mother, and father. Although, occasionally, a 'freeloader' would come in and eat with us. She's a good person, though, although she has so much energy for someone her age…

 

Due to the lack of chattering noises inside this place, even just a single crashing of a porcelain plate can be heard till the other half of the house. And my alarm clock is no exception.

 

Father once told me that this house once belonged to grandfather, from his side of the family, who passed it to my father after he died of some sort of sickness at a somewhat early age. As a result, father had to take care of the house alone. However, as time passed, two people were visiting him almost every day, and are even helping him with the house chores…well, one of them anyway. Life was like that…till he met mother, an exchange student from Wales.

 

Slamming down the snooze button on the alarm clock, I proceeded to quickly cover myself under the cover of my blanket, as if a miracle will occur if I did so. However…

 

"Hikaru, are you awake in there? I'm pretty sure I heard your alarm clock…"

 

The voice of a familiar person rings from behind the sliding door of my room. I quickly soften and slow down my breath whilst making it deep, in the similar way a sleeping person would. As expected, it took three seconds of silence before she, my mother, slides open the door. I quickly closed my eyes as I hear her footsteps approach.

 

"Oh? Still asleep? Really? Then how come…" Mother's footsteps head towards the direction where my alarm clock is, "…The alarm clock has been snoozed? Hmm…" In a playful tone, or whatever counts as playful for her, mother proceeds to speak the phrase I have been fearing for so long, the phrase that she'll spout when she finds out about a mischief of mine, or that time when she discovered the Medieval Genre Female Knight H-Doujin beneath my futon a few months ago…

 

"…Maybe I should be a little more strict with the sword training this afternoon?" Mother declares in a devilishly evil tone, to which, of course, I reacted predictably…

 

"WHOA! I'm up, I'm up!"

 

I sat up quickly, hoping to avert a disaster born from the anger of a mother whose son kept napping his ass off despite being caught red-handed that his alarm clock went off. Goodbye, extra 4 hours of sleep. I shall catch up to you…tomorrow.

 

What faced me as I turned my full attention in front of me is the warmly smiling face of my Mother. She has bright, golden hair whose bangs framed the sides of her face and down to her upper chests, and was tied in a stylish braid behind her head. She has a pair of emerald eyes, so bright that they put actual emeralds to shame. Her skin is of a healthy variation of ivory, the one that's of the not too pale kind. Her facial features make her look like someone in their mid-twenties, or even younger. She has the very same face I inherited, and something that feels jarring to me even till now. She wears a white, long sleeved shirt and a knee-length blue dress.

 

This person, ladies and gentlemen, is my mother, Emiya Arturia. Although, for some reason everyone won't tell me, anyone who knows her, even father, calls her "Saber".

 

"Good morning, Hikaru. Did you sleep well?" Mother asks me, with her smiling expression unfading, and her voice now warm and kind, unlike the voice of the terminator that she had while I was trying to evade her earlier.

 

Nodding to her words, I replied, with not a hint of sleepiness in my voice, as all of that tiredness went away for the hills when Mother almost went terminator mode a few minutes ago.

 

"Yes, I did."

 

Seemingly satisfied with my reply, Mother stands up, and speaks, "I see. That's good then. Your father is almost done with the cooking, so be done with your morning routine and get changed." With her smile still unfading and sincere, Mother gives me a small nod, before heading fully heading out of the room and closing the sliding door. I stood up as well, and went out as well, heading for the house's bathroom…

 

After getting in, I headed towards the sink, which had a mirror above it. I ended up facing the mirror, and saw my own face.

 

My facial features are exactly the same as mother's, except for a few parts. Like the shape of the hair. Although just as similar in style and blond as mother's, it's slightly more spikier on the bangs that frame my face, and instead of a styled braid, the back of my hair is simply of short length that befits a boy like me, and is spikey too. There's this…strange cowlick hair atop my head as well, which won't go down no matter how I combed it. It won't even go down with hair gel. My mother has the same case with that strange strand of hair.

 

Despite the obvious physical differences, some of father's friends, especially Tohsaka-san, would sometimes call me ' _Little Saber-face_ ', and Rider-san even would comment sometimes that ' _there's so many of them in that one Online Game, and an entire franchise is even making a cash cow from them_ '. The last one really confused me, and I decided not to probe further on that.

 

However, remembering that I shouldn't be wasting time thinking about trivial things and that father really dislikes it when you eat his cooking when it's already cold, I shook myself to my senses. After all, he would always tell me _'food is bad when it's cold'_. And I totally agree with that.

 

With a splash of water, I continue my morning routine…

 

* * *

 

 

Damn, the air's a little cold.

 

I headed for the dining room, which was a few walks away from my own room. It can be accessed by a long hallway from the door of my room, and I would end up passing through some of the guest's room doors on the way. And sometimes, when Tohsaka-san is staying over, I would hear malevolent giggling when I pass through the room she was staying at, especially at night when I would sneak out some to "hijack" desserts from the fridge.

 

As a precaution of safety, I never mentioned any of Tohsaka-san's malevolent giggling to the person herself nor to my parents, as an impending doom warned itself to me if I were to inform the former and I just might lose all rights to the sweets in the fridge if I were to inform the latter. I saved my rights to my beloved strawberry yogurt that way.

 

I arrived at the sliding door that led to the kitchen and dining room. I opened it, revealing two people inside.

 

One was my mother, sitting on the floor just right beside the lowered table.

 

Meanwhile, on the kitchen, which was just right beside the dining room itself, is my father, Emiya Shirou, who seems to be checking the rice if it's finished cooking.

 

He has red, spiky hair, and a pair of burning amber eyes. His skin color is somewhere close to being tan, but not too browned. He wears a white shirt, with blue-colored long sleeves, and a pair of gray colored pants, all beneath a brown colored apron. He seems to have heard me go through the door, and faces my direction. A smile on his face is very visible as he greets me.

 

"Ah, good morning, Hikaru. The rice should be ready around a minute now, so wait for a bit, okay?" Father says as he returns his attention to the rice cooker.

 

"Good morning too, father." I said as I proceeded to sit on the floor on the other side of the table. Judging from the smell coming from the kitchen, we're having fish, stir fried vegetables, soup, and rice for breakfast. Nice.

 

"Hikaru, do you have anything to do today? Like any activities with your friends or something of the sort?" Mother asks me from the other side of the table. Hmm, hanging out with my friends, huh? I have around...the entire class as "friends", although I'm really close to only 4 of my classmates, and they're the ones I frequently hang out with most of the time, as a result.

 

First of all, is my childhood friend and neighbour, Carigiri Jinako. She and her family moved in the neighboring house years ago, although by family, I would mean her caretaker, Hong Meiling, and…Jinako herself. Her parents are busy working overseas, so they are rarely home, even during occasions like Christmas, New Years, etc. Thus, my family would invite Jinako and Meiling-san for these events, as the two of them had no one to celebrate with. That's actually how I met Jinako in the first place, as she rarely would leave her house due to playing videogames…a lot.

 

Me and Jinako continuously talked to each other a lot during the celebrations where my family would invite hers, and eventually, she introduced me to videogames, I introduced her to exercise and physical activity, and we became friends. During the days where there are no classes, I would either hang out at her home and play videogames with her, or sometimes take her outside and just go around Fuyuki, or visit Akihabara. There's rarely a time where the two of us are not doing things together.

 

Now that I think about it, she DID texted me yesterday night that I should head over at her house later today. We are to discuss and plan out what we are supposed to buy and do for another one of our trips to Akihabara tomorrow, last time I checked.

 

I picked up my rice bowl and my chopsticks as I spoke to mother about my plans, "Well…Jinako and I have some planning to do, since we are going to Akihabara tomorrow. Oh, and concerning that, can I go tomorrow, Mother and Father?" I asked with the most polite, and of course, the most subtle version of a pleading voice. Hearing what came out of my mouth, my father simply gave a small, but approving smile, while my mother gave only a short sigh, as if saying _"That was it"_?

 

"Oh? With Jinako-chan again? Well, I'm okay with that. But be sure to be careful, and take good care of her as well, alright?" Father declared with a sincere, approving voice. Is it just me, or is he misunderstanding something?

 

"…Hmph, make sure to come home for our sword training later. And, I'm on the same boat with your father, Hikaru. Be cautious, and make sure to watch over Jinako-chan, understand? Oh, and no love hotels, either. You're both underage. But you can hold hands." Mother tells me with a straight face. I was happy she approved, but the moment I understood the last part of her sentence, I spit my rice.

 

"W-What are you even talking about, Mother?! I would never do such a thing! Especially to my childhood friend!" I retorted, expecting a lecture on the topic. However, what happened next was not what I expected.

 

Father simply laughed his heart out. Mother, at the same time, let out a very amused smile, as if something she predicted really just happened. It was the same kind of teasing smile Tohsaka-san would wear when she and Rider-san would start teasing me and treating me like a little kid.

 

…Wait, did my own parents just made fun of me?

 

"Now, now, Hikaru, do not blow a vein. I was simply teasing you. And it worked it seems."

 

Ah, I realized it just now. These rather…subtly vulgar jokes. I only know of one person who'd throw them at me.

 

"Mother, did you ask Tohsaka-san for that joke?"

 

At my question, Mother swiftly turned her head away in another direction before she answers, "Of course not. Why would I need to do so? I may not look like it, but I too, have a sense of humor."

 

"…Oh really?" I asked with doubt dripping at every syllable. To think that the evil witch, Tohsaka-san, had infected my mother with such…unfunny sense of humor! Wait, didn't they hang out together so many times, even before I was born? Ah, I'm too late! My dignified, charismatic mother has just been turned into another Tohsaka clone!

 

"Now, now, everyone, if we keep arguing like this, we'll get the food cold, you know? How about we-"

 

Before Father could finish his sentence, me and Mother quickly raced against each other in nabbing the viand on the table, leaving barely nothing for our Father, whose eyes looked like they were about to tear up. But Mother and I couldn't care less, as the table filled with food is and has always been a battlefield, which only had one rule…

 

…And that is ' _You snooze, you lose_ '.

 

* * *

 

 

"Haaah…Man, the sun sure is pretty nice today. I'd go as far as to say I'm feeling so grossly incandescent!"

 

I took a deep breath as I walked out of the gates of my home. Man, father's cooking never really gets old. I might be his son, but I have no aptitude for cooking. No matter how hard I try, the results are always abominations that are out of this world. It's like I can turn identified creatures into unidentified substances. Everything I touch becomes dark matter. I am also banned from the kitchen.

 

Not to brag or anything, but, in compensation for my horrid cooking, I at least got the compatibility for the sword, as Mother said so herself, who's already a master with them. Coming from her, that's already a pretty big deal. I can say as much, remembering all of our trainings and every time she beats the crap outta me in a spar. In turn, however, it readied me for all of my Kendo matches, and is pretty much the reason I won the Interschool Kendo Competition, and I'm now heading for the Regional Level Fights. I really should find a way to thank Mother and Father for all their help someday…

 

Cold air brushes my faces as I turned to the direction opposite my house. Sunlight was lighting up everything in my sight. Some children are running around, carrying nets which they would use to catch stag beetles. I used to do that alone a lot during summers when I was younger, since Jinako won't join me. She…really dislikes stag beetles. I mean, what's wrong with those cool looking little things?

 

I sighed, and looked in front of me. On the other side of the road, stood a large, two-storey western style mansion behind a green painted steel gate. A small, red button is present beside the large gate of steel. I approached it, and pressed it twice, ringing the doorbell.

 

"Jinakoooo! Meiling-san! Are you in there? It's me, Hikaru." I slightly raised my voice as I called. Knowing Jinako, she might still be slugging off her arse in bed this time of the day. I would be too, had mother not decided to wake me up. And since I did not get that extra few hours of sleep…so will Jinako too.

 

Yes, I am a very evil person. Time to make Jinako cry again! Fufufufu…

 

…I sounded like Tohsaka-san there. I should stop that line of thought.

 

Now, I guess I should wait for Meiling-san to answer.

 

After a few seconds of waiting, the gate opens, revealing a woman in her early twenties, with aqua colored eyes that felt as calm as a sea with no waves, long red hair redder than any flame, and fair skin. She wears maid clothing, with some chinese elements mixed in, like the design and the placement of the buttons, and with the overall coloring of her maid outfit being a combination of white and green.

 

A bright smile on her face is very visible as soon as she saw me.

 

"Good morning, Meiling-san. Is Jinako inside?" I asked the red-headed maid.

 

"Good morning to you too. And yup, Jin-chan's inside! And it looks like she needs one of your waking techniques again, Hikaru-kun. She won't budge from her bed again!" Meiling-san says with a cheerful, energetic voice. If you know her working habits, you'd find it ironic that this cheerful chinese maid in front of me is actually the type that likes to sleep…a lot.

 

"I see. I understand what must be done, Meiling-san. Leave it to me!" I answered with vigor. Like a general bidding a soldier his last goodbye, Meiling-san salutes and pats my back and leads me inside to the mansion.

 

"Well, then, brave one, I bid thee luck, and my permission for you to enter her room! May thou survive the wrath of the Shut-In of the western hemisphere!" Meiling-san jokingly says as we proceeded through the front door of the mansion, leading to a wide, round hall with a large wooden double door in the middle, and a set of stairs that lead to a second floor on each side. The entirety of the hall, including the stairs, are made of white, shiny marble, a trademark of those people who has deep, full pockets.

 

You wouldn't guess that only a shut-in videogame otaku and a chinese maid with a bad case of oversleeping are the residents in this rather ridiculously fabulous mansion.

 

Having already been given the okay earlier, Meiling-san just gave me a thumbs up and goes back outside, to head for the mansion's garden, where she would tend to the many different plants in there as she usually would do every day. Meanwhile, I proceeded to take the stairs leading to the second floor.

 

The sound of my footsteps echo as I pass though the wide hallway of the second floor. The air around here seems…a little chilly, just like last time. It's as if the house is expressing its emptiness from having little to no one living in it.

 

Eventually, I reached a brown, wooden door, with a large name tag hanging on the middle, upper part that says 'Jinako'. Taking a deep breath, I began to knock and call out to the owner of that room…

 

"Oi, Jinako! It's me, Hikaru. I'm going in, okay?"

 

I softly opened the door, causing a gentle wave of literal cold wind to blast through me, so cold that I shivered rather much on the spot. Damn it, Jinako, raise that temperature setting a bit, would you?! You can magically grow penguins and polar bears in your room at this rate!

 

"Brrr…looks like I'm gonna have to drag her out for some sun after this."

 

Mist comes out of my mouth as I breath, before taking a good look around. The room is pretty wide, able to keep a ps4 and a large flat-screen tv, an entire gaming PC, and a king sized bed. The bed is set in the middle if the room, with the PS4 on the wall a few walks onto the left, and the gaming PC a few walks onto the right. A large, glass double window with thick blue curtains is set at the wall where the king sized bed sat.

 

"All right…time for some vitamin D, you sun-hating otaku!" I muttered before heading straight for the blue curtains near the bed. The light sound of snoring can be heard from the thick blankets. Heh, looks like somebody's been staying up late a little bit too much, and as a proper, functioning member of society, it is my _duty_ to wake my friend up during proper morning time! Ufufufu…

 

"Praise the sun!"

 

With that sudden warning, I proceeded to slide open the curtains, allowing a lot of sunlight to come in, before opening the windows themselves. After that, I went for the air-conditioner, and turned it off. Now, the cold air should disperse. With all the preparations done, I headed towards the sleeping otaku…

 

"Rise from your grave, you damn otaku!" I roared before pulling off the thick blanket, revealing Jinako, in her pajamas, awake and surprised on the bed. She has messy, brown wavy hair, and a pair of bright, brown eyes, and an almost pale skin tone too, which is the result of hiding in her bat cave-I mean, her room most of the time.

 

"Wha-?! This again?! You…you jerk! Give me back the blanket!" Jinako, with fierce, burning rage written all over her now reddened face, demands me to give her back the blanket that's currently rolled in my hands. Heh, that face is all that I need for the next phase of her morning routine!

 

"Good morning to you too, best friend. And no, you want your blanket? Come and get it!" With that, I ran as fast as I can!

 

"Hey, get back here, Hikaru! I swear, when I get my hands on you, you heartless prick…!" I hear Jinako shout as I reached the door, and opened it.

 

I dashed through the door, then slamming it close, and ran towards the stairs at the bright end of the hallway. I could hear the door slam open, followed by angry, heavy footsteps and an otaku cursing like an angry sailor far behind me as I reached the staircases. I ran towards the middle of said stairs, before jumping over the railings, landing smoothly on my feet right in front of the double doors leading to the dining room.

 

If I remember correctly, there is a door leading to the gardens in the kitchen, which in turn, is just right through the dining room itself. Without wasting time, I open the double doors, pass through them and closed them up quick. Inside the dining room is one large, oval shaped wooden table, with 10 surrounding chairs, one on each end of the oval and four on each side. I ran for other end of the room, heading for the door that led to the kitchen. As I grabbed the door knob, the double doors from far behind open up, revealing Jinako, who's obviously still pissed…and is panting heavily, proof of her lacking stamina from lack of exercise.

 

"Hah…hah…hah…I found…you…" Jinako says between breaths, pointing at me as she continues, "Just…stop over there already!"

 

"Then how about grinding some skill points for STAMINA and ENDURANCE one of these days, you DEX fag?" I say as I open the door leading to the kitchen, "Stop hiding in your room and get good, scrub!" I finish before slamming the door close.

 

"Damn you, Emiya Hikaru! Stop cheesing with your cheap physical build, damn it!" I can hear Jinako scream as I slammed the kitchen room's door close. Looking around as quickly as I can, I see the door to the gardens. I ran towards it, opened it, and ran through!

 

* * *

 

 

"Phew…looks like I lost her. That should give her a few minutes of moving her body, at least." I muttered to myself as I sat down on a bench in the middle of the garden. Geez, for someone who doesn't even exercise that much, Jinako sure can put up a chase. Oh well, at least she's woken up now.

 

"Ah, Hikaru-kun!" Meiling-san calls out from somewhere behind me. I looked back, as she appears to be carrying a water hose. Ah, she must be watering the plants right now.

 

"I take it that you succeeded, considering that lump of cloth beside you?" Meiling-san points to the rolled blanket beside me. I looked at her in the eyes and gave her an affirmative nod and a thumbs up. She makes a relieved sigh and a big smile again.

 

"Whew. That saved me a lot of trouble. Thank you, Hikaru-kun. As thanks, I'll make some extra good breakfast today, with you included, of course." Meiling-san says in a happy tone of voice. Wait, did she say breakfast?

 

"I'm sorry, Meiling-san. I've already had breakfast back home, so…"

 

"I'll whip up a nice dessert, then!" Meiling-san cuts me off. A grin makes itself known on my face as I digested her words…

 

"Count me in, Meiling-san. Thanks for the food!" I said with all the happiness in my heart. Meiling-san, hearing this, just smiled and pointed at the path that led to the kitchen's door from the gardens.

 

"Got it, Hikaru-kun. Wait for me in the dining room, ok? I'll make a breakfast and dessert set so good that Saber-san would smell it all the way from your home! Oh, and leave that blanket on the bench. I'll take care of that one." Meiling-san says with great pride and a thumbs up. I nod as I reply before heading for the kitchen door, walking through the gardens…

 

…Now that I think about it, this is one large garden they have.

 

How the hell does Meiling-san maintain all these plants and flowers…all by herself?!

 

Haaah…I should just save my energy for the walk…and Jinako's ranting later. No doubt she'll be waiting at the dining room. I mean, she magically arrives there every time I would know that Meiling-san would prepare food…

****

 

"So…you sure have guts appearing in the dining room, Hikaru, you blond prick!" Jinako exclaims while giving me the death glare. In turn, I simply gave her the good old smirk before giving my answer…

 

"Well…not my fault you suck at running nowadays…I mean, look at those flabs, Jinako. Can you not hear the disturbance in the force of your stomach?" I pointed to her stomach as I spoke. In turn, Jinako's face went red she and also covered her stomach with her hands…although she's clothed.

 

"W-w-well, I've been doing sit-ups every afternoon! They're not as fat as you think they are!" Jinako quickly defends, while looking at me in the eye…with her face still red.

 

"Oh, my, good job then. By the way…" An evil smirk plants itself unto my face as I reveal to Jinako today's part of the cuisine, "Meiling-san told me there would be desserts along with the breakfast today."

 

At the mention of desserts, Jinako's eyes went wide, and after a few seconds, they start tearing up.

 

"You…evil little bastard! I…won't fall for that little trick. I will NOT eat whatever what Meiling will serve!" Jinako says, with her breaking resolve obviously showing as the scent of the leche flan is already invading the dining room. Meanwhile, I spend a few seconds laughing in victory…

 

"Can you smell it Jinako? The smell…of victory! And desserts!"

 

"Stop it…"

 

"Ah…that creamy, delicious…jelly like texture…"

 

"Shut up…"

 

"That sweet, sweet, sweeeeet sauce…"

 

"WAAAH! I give up! I give up!"

 

With that argument, I won…

 

* * *

 

 

After eating breakfast and desserts, me and Jinako headed for her room.

 

No, it's not anything suspicious at all. We're just discussing our plans for our trip tomorrow.

 

I sat on the soft, desk chair while Jinako sat in her bed. On the floor, one the bed's left side and visible to me, is a knapsack filled most likely with food, water, and other provisions for tomorrows trip. Damn, Jinako works fast when it comes to this. Now that I think about it…

 

…I didn't prepare shit.

 

"Alright, I'm actually done all my preparations for tomorrow! I've even got our train tickets. Say, Hikaru, what about on your part?" Jinako asks as she goes to lay on her bed, making a comfortable sigh.

 

"Well, I've…readied my things as well…" I said, looking away as Jinako sits back up.

 

"Lies. I know you're not the type to prepare until the last minute. So spill it already, ufufufu." Jinako says in a victorious tone, complete with standing up on her bed and pounding her chest like someone who just won the pachinko. Meanwhile, I could only give her a look of embarassment. Well, she hit the nail on the head, as much I'd hate to admit it. Damn it.

 

Jinako sees my face and quickly goes to be smug about it.

 

"Ohohoho, so the mighty Hikaru actually needs my help? Oh my…But my morning mood just got ruined, so…"

 

"Please let me join your expedition, Jinako-sama!" I cut her off with that sentence while prostrating on the floor like an idiot. Damn it, brain, why is it that you suck when it comes to preparing our provisions?!

 

"Well, well, since I, the all-mighty Jinako-sama is a generous goddess, I shall reveal to thee that I have also prepared an extra bag of provisions and stuff as usual, and thus, you will have no worries for tomorrow's trip…you poor casual. Ufufufufu!" Jinako proudly declares as she mockingly sits on her bed like it's a throne of sorts.

 

She has the last laugh…for today!

 

"Hmm…Now that I think about it, you're still training for your Kendo matches, right Hikaru?" Jinako asks. I gave her a nod first, before I gave my answer.

 

"Well, yeah. I actually have one this afternoon with mother, at my home's dojo."

 

"Ohh…I'll go watch! Because, after all, the mighty Jinako-sama must make sure that her minion can at least defend himself with a wooden stick." Jinako, in her pride-filled, smug tone, declares while going back to laying down on her bed.

 

"By the way, Jinako, can I resume my material farming on Drag*n Nest here? The internet back home is currently messing up, you see…" I said. Well, thanks to Tohsaka-san discovering the internet and the Internet Download Manager application, she started downloading movies non-stop. And then, mother ends doing the same thing too. And thus, on every non-working day, the house internet is basically useless. For gaming, anyway.

 

"Yeah, go ahead. By the way, can you have my lancer complete the daily quest for today? It's just some duels at the colloseum…" Jinako asks me before letting out a large yawn. Man, she must have really stayed up really late yesterday. That's a hardcore gamer for you.

 

"All right, on it." I said as I spun the desk chair around, and booted on the gaming PC in the room…

 

* * *

 

 

Man, I sure got a little engrossed there. If it wasn't for Jinako waking up in time, I would've played all afternoon. Whew, I actually owe her for that one. Mother would've went full terminator had I been a little bit later.

 

"Wow…your family's dojo always would look so big, no matter how many times I'd visit here…" Jinako comments as we open the sliding door of the dojo, and enter inside. Waiting for us is Mother, who appears to have been sitting here for quite some time, with her eyes closed.

 

"So, Jinako-chan is here to watch today." Mother spoke, without opening her eyes.

 

I headed for the stack of wooden swords on one side of the dojo and picked two up before answering, "Yeah, she'll be watching today. Is today alright for that, Mother?"

 

Mother opens her eyes as I stood a few steps away from her. She looks at Jinako and gives the otaku a small smile, before returning her attention to me and replying, "Yes, I do not mind. She has always watched us for a long time now, so there's not much of a problem with her presence. Now, pass me that blade."

 

I obeyed, and chucked the wooden sword up in the air towards Mother's direction. She catches it, and puts on a battle stance. I do the same as well, with my blade held by both hands and faces forward, with the tip diagonally facing upward, and with my left foot placed a bit more forward than my right foot.

 

Meanwhile, Jinako goes to one side of the dojo, and sits on the floor to watch.

 

However, instead of a warning of an incoming attack from her, Mother spoke of something else first.

 

"Me and your father have an important business to tend to. A business that will take us at least till midnight tonight at the Tohsaka manor. As it would appear, I am pressed for time, son. So, for now, we shall have a quick spar instead. I'm sorry." Mother declares, with sincere regret in her voice.

 

"It's alright. I'm sure that whatever your business with Tohsaka-san is, it sure is of grave importance if it takes till midnight. Let's just make use of our time as much as possible, mother." I declare, not letting go of my battle stance even for a second. Meanwhile, Mother made a relieved sigh.

 

"That's good to hear. Very well… _En Garde!_ " Mother shouts as she suddenly bursts forward.

 

The foot that made the first step…the way she held her sword…

 

I can see it!

 

A charging diagonal slash, from the left!

 

I quickly set my stance in a defensive mode, setting my blade's tip facing my lower left side.

_*CLANG*_

 

The sounds of wooden swords echoed throughout the room. I managed to lock mother's sword with my block. The wooden swords tremble in our contest of strength…

 

"Haaaaaah!"

 

With a burst of strength, I pushed Mother back a few steps, putting her on a defensive stance as well.

 

I charge forward, setting my hold of the sword in my hand to look like I was about to launch a thrusting attack. Mother does not change her stance.

 

…Just as planned!

 

I thrust my sword forward, causing Mother to quickly attempt to parry my incoming attack with a diagonal slash from her left side. However, I already expected this.

 

The moment she launches her swing, I quickly pull back my blade, and consecutively launch a horizontal swing of my own.

 

However, instead of hitting its target, my sword hit blank air, as Mother had quickly back-stepped right before my blade made contact. However, this was what I wanted it to be.

 

You won't escape my next blow!

 

The moment her feet landed, I charged forward, and launched a fast, thrusting attack aimed at her lower stomach. If there was one thing she taught me herself, two of the moments that an enemy would be open is when he or she is recovering from a successful dodge from my own attack…and during the time they would launch their own counter from that missed attack.

 

"Your reflexes are slow, Hikaru!"

 

Mother declares as she effortlessly side-steps my sudden attack before launching an overhead swing which I barely made in time to dodge with a back step of my own, with the floor of the dojo making a loud, slightly deafening sound from mother's attack landing on it. In fact, I even felt the floor shake.

 

If there was one example of tough love I'm asked to point out, it would be when Mother is training me…and beating the crap out of me in that training. Damn, she's pretty scary when she's in the dojo. Even father would wholeheartedly agree.

 

This time, Mother charges forward again, with her sword held ready for a swing from her left side. Ah, I think I remember this stance…

 

I put myself on the defensive right after.

 

As soon as Mother was in sword range, I launched a counter attack of my own with a neck-aimed horizontal slash, attempting to land a blow before she can. However she quickly ducked, as I thought, and twists her body towards her left side, which means that…

 

…It's a spin slash from my left!

 

I quickly made a gap between my hands on my sword's handle…and used that gap to guard against mother's blow!

_*CLANG*_

 

"What?! Irregular guarding?!"

 

Taking advantage of her surprise, I pushed sideward with all my force, causing Mother's sword to be pushed backwards…and leaving her body open for a split second.

 

"HAAAH!"

 

I roared, launching an overhead strike towards Mother…

 

"GAH!"

 

The sensation of my wooden sword hitting something and Mother grunting in pain shook me out of my focus, making me look carefully in what's in front of me…

 

…I can't believe it…

 

For the first time in 8 months…I…

 

…Managed to land a blow on Mother! On her shoulder, no less!

 

I seriously can't believe it!

 

Before I could mentally celebrate, however…

 

I quickly back pedaled as Mother quickly regained her composure, with a smirk on her face…

 

Wait, that look is…pretty familiar…

 

Oh…HELL NO-

 

"Well, well, I'm actually joyful. That makes it your…12th successful strike, yes? I am truly glad for that progress. Good job, my son." Mother warmly and lovingly declares, before putting on a battle stance, "Now then…let's see if you can land another one!" Mother excitedly exclaims aloud, with that rather happy look on her face, right before charging with a renewed vigor…

 

When she gets like this, that means she's really happy with my progress…

 

...And loses all the reasons to hold back.

 

God, have mercy on my soul! Please let my body wake up in one piece, too!

_*CLANG*_

 

The last thing I saw…is Jinako laughing her ass out, and Father having a face palm at the door...

 

* * *

 

 

_Here it is once again._

_The dream occurs once more._

_A giant being, larger than all the tallest mountains of the planet combined, stands tall and intimidating, its height piercing through the forever blood red skies of the dead planet. This being, the scourge of all the dead planet’s survivors, remained unmatched against as it arrived and fought. No living being of that planet dared resist, for they have no hope of winning. However, all hope was not lost…_

_That hope which lies in the form of the single purple armored knight that floats up the skies, facing the colossus defiantly upfront. In his hand is wielded a velvet demonic sword, a symbol of hope for all that remained of humanity, despite its dark and evil appearance._

_The knight raises his sword as the dark colossus takes a step forward, the single step causing an aftershock with the strength of what would be a full-powered nuclear blast. The Knight is not deterred, and kept his position as his demonic sword devoured and drained the energy all around him, the continent he was in, and the whole world, causing the dead planet to lose a portion of itself once more._

_Three more gigantic blasts roared. The gigantic invader approaches, its shadow now visible to the purple armored knight, whose demonic sword has caught up to the size of the gigantic enemy._

_“I shall show you humanity’s true strength! Come to my hands, and bring back the blue skies…”_

_The moment the giant invader’s eyes glowed a deep red, the purple knight swings down his demonic sword, with the enemy now in reach and the red skies torn apart as the demonic sword sliced through, revealing the beautiful, blue skies once more…_

 

* * *

 

 

I opened my eyes.

 

That white ceiling I'm seeing…ah, I'm back in my room. The bright light of the study lamp from my study table…It's already evening?

 

Mother really didn't hold back. I'm surprised I woke at night instead of tomorrow noon, like how it would be usually. The only usual thing left is the pain I'm all around my body, obviously from Mother's blows. Geez, can't she at least not knock me unconscious next time? It's not like I'm not used to it, but…man, isn't there going to be a time she does not go nuts with excitement when I score a hit?

 

I sat up, with the pain on my stinging from just that. I bear it, and went off my bed to head for the kitchen. The lights in the hallways and the dining room are on.

 

I entered the dining room, and found a pair of Tupperware on the table. I opened them, and found a tasty beef steak in one, and a bunch of fried shrimp tempura in the other. Looking at how it's still smelling nicely cooked, Father must have cooked these before they left for Tohsaka-san's home. I should thank them with something when I return from Akihabara tomorrow.

 

Hmmm…I guess the rice is at the rice cooker, as usual.

 

It took a few moments till I've finally set the table, ready for dinner. However, before I could start, the dining room's door slides open…

 

…revealing Jinako, carrying a plastic bag containing what looked like to be canned drinks.

 

"Ah…hey there. I was about to start. Didn't think you'd arrive. I don't know if the rice and the viand are going to be enough for both of us, though…" I said as I watched Jinako place the drinks on the table, and headed for the kitchen part of the dining room to get her plates and glass. She is a regular at my home, as I am to hers, so the both of us pretty much knows about almost every crook and cranny of each other's houses.

 

"Are you serious?! The amount of food and rice your dad cooked can feed four to six people. You actually eat that much for solo?" I hear Jinako say while heading for the table, plate and glass in hand.

 

"Yeah, I am. I thought you'd know already, considering that you and Meiling-san joined me and my family during the holiday celebrations." I said with an amused voice, as Jinako sets her utensils on the table.

 

"I saw how you and your mom would devour the main dish, you know. I'm even surprised there's still enough for everyone!" Jinako laughed lightly as she said the last part. I also laughed in return.

 

"That's my Father's cooking for you. Well then, without further ado…" I started…

 

"Thanks for the food!" Me and Jinako said at the same time, before wolfing down on the viand and rice set on the table…

 

* * *

 

 

After dinner, Jinako reminded of our schedule tomorrow, which is early morning, right before sunrise. The trip to Akihabara is a 5-hour round trip, which means that it will take 2 and a half hour to get there by bus, and vice versa. After discussing the schedule a bit more and Jinako leaving me the second bag of provisions for tomorrow's trip, I bade Jinako goodbye and she left for her house, while I go back to my room and check for my possible preparations that I need.

 

…Nah, Jinako pretty got everything in the knapsack. Maybe I'll just put some extra clothing and I'll be done.

_After 10 minutes of half-assed preparations…_

 

Finally…I'm in my futon. I guess I should call it a day now. A good night's sleep is all I need!

 

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes…

 

…And then…

 

" _Help me…please…_ "

 

A familiar voice rings in my head.

 

The frigging hell?!

 

I sat up. Damn, someone must have sneaked in? Or-

 

" _Please…the courtyard…I can see it from up here!_ "

 

Courtyard?!

 

My home's courtyard is the only thing that comes to mind. However…considering that my life certainly isn't some damn shonen manga story, it's not far-fetched to think of this voice calling out to me as…suspicious. I headed for the futon, and grabbed the wooden sword I hid underneath the pillow…

 

Well, a wooden sword would be just fine, yeah? Here's hoping it's not some magical tentacle monster waiting out there!

 

…On second thought, make it a cute, moe monster girl, please! With cat ears too, preferably!

 

I slammed my room's door open, looked around the halls, and ran out of my room. Wooden sword in hand, I ran all the way to the house's courtyard, where…

 

…There was nothing waiting.

 

"Must have been my imagination. I should stop drinking energy drinks at night, seriously."

 

Muttering that to myself, I turned my back and-

 

"I TOLD YOU TO WAIT YOU BLOND TWAAAAAAT!"

_* **BOOM** *_

 

The sound of something crashing onto the ground from behind made me jump in surprise.

 

Damn it, quit this crap already!

 

I looked back at the courtyard, and saw…

 

A girl, who's appears to be a bit older than the 15 years old me, maybe by around 2 years or so.

 

She has wavy, stylishly spiky purple hair with bangs that frames the sides of her face, and is tied in a long twin braids style that reaches almost below her waist. She has a pair of bright blue eyes with…a power symbol for pupils. Her skin is pretty damn bright too, as shown by her face and her…glowing slender legs.

 

…Hey, I'm a guy, and I can't help but notice those bits first!

 

As for the purple haired girl's attire, she…wears some sort of black body suit that's separated on the area between the thighs, and, uh, the knees…And there's those the purple colored transparent bits that show her arms, and…stomach area.

 

I could feel heat rising up my face as I looked at the… _cute_ cosplayer.

 

…Anyone would be like that in the face of overwhelming stimulation, alright?!

 

The girl looks at me, and makes a deep, relieved sigh…

 

"You really do look the same as you did in the dream. I'm glad…that your prayers of reaching out to me really did reach me. I am truly grateful, for something horrible might have happened, had you not accepted my plea." The purple haired girl then makes a surprised look, as if remembering something, "Oh, right, where are my manners. My name is…Purple Heart, the Goddess of Planeptune, the land of Purple Progress. Now, may I know your name, dear citizen?"

 

She's…a Goddess?!

 

…

 

HAHAHAHA!

 

Damn, she's nuts! Didn't think they'd allow cosplays for people at the funny farm! They even had to literally drop her at my house, those pricks. She might be cute, but I'd really rather not stick my nose to the crazy businesses of crazy people.

 

And she's called Purple Heart? Sounds like a reject from the cast of Precure!

 

I guess it's time to call the Mental Asylum for patient number 22!

 

But first…I should at least be polite enough to introduce myself. She might be nuts, but I should at least be respectful of her as a person. Even if I'm really working hard right now to stop myself from laughing my heart out.

 

"Um, hello there, Purple…Heart-san. I'm Emiya Hikaru. And I'll be calling the Mental Asylum to pick you up in a jiffy, okay?"

 

'Purple Heart' made a shocked face at my words, with her jaw dropping like she just got insulted…real hard.

 

"How dare you! I am a Goddess, one who has answered your prayer! What did I do for you to treat me like this?!" Purple Nuts complained.

 

"Well, then, if you really are a Goddess, then could you grant my wish to get a perfect waifu? You know, pink hair, emerald eyes, fair skin, and has the nice girl-next-door kind of personality? And of course, she must not be a trap in disguise!"

 

After I said that, Purple Peanut Gallery had a look of pure disbelief and annoyance on her face, giving me something that's equivalent to a death glare. Yup, totally gonna call the Asylum on you.

 

I was about to turn my back, when…

 

The sound of something being crushed made itself known from above, causing me and Purple Nuts to look up…

 

…And see for ourselves a large black hole up in the sky.

 

"Holy crap! What the hell's that?! Please tell me that's part of your crazy nutbar antics!" I told Purple Nuts. However, she only had a look of calmness and…slightly more annoyance as she looks at me, and replies.

 

"No, it isn't a parlor trick, unfortunately. Not by my hand either, Hikaru-kun."

 

After she said that, something jumped out of the black hole in the sky and it is…

 

"A freaking dragon?!"

 

I pointed to the sky as I said that. Purple Nuts just palmed her face.

 

"Yes, yes, it is a dragon, captain obvious." Purple Nuts retorted, while not losing the cool, composed tone of voice she has, as if seeing this things were part of her daily life. Yup, totally an asylum resident.

 

The dragon up in the sky, seemingly have seen us, roars aloud and charges towards…in our direction.

 

Oh.

 

IT'S REAL?!

 

"Move aside, Hikaru-kun…" Purple Nuts speaks, gently pushing me to the side, before…floating all the way to the middle of the courtyard?!

 

The hell?! I didn't see any strings on her, nor any cranes around!

 

"Despite your rude treatment of me, I shall pay my debts of prayer by protecting you, Hikaru-kun. Allow me…to show you the power of a true Goddess!" A bright purple light explodes from Purple Heart's right hand, and leaves a sword.

 

The metal clank that it made when it came in contact with the ground…

 

It's a real sword, too?!

 

However, before I could add any more complaints, the dragon hovers over, aiming to charge against Purple Heart!

 

Oh joy…

 

Mother, Father, wherever you are…

 

Come home, please.

 

* * *

 

 

**_Notes:_ **

****

**_The Fate-Verse of this fic is an AU modeled after the one in Ataraxia, where almost all of the cast is alive…Except for Kirei, who is gone in this fic for...spoiler reasons. A bit of Fate/Extra CCC is here as well, if you've at least played the game and encountered a certain otaku with a Lancer Servant in there._ **

****

**_Also, Saber's appearance in this fic is the same one she has as "Artoria Pendragon Lancer". No, not the Alter one, but the NOT ALTER Artoria Lancer that was recently released in Fate/Grand Order. Well…basically a grown-up Artoria._ **

****

**_Shirou is also nearing Archer's appearance here, especially on the skin department. Should be pretty easy to know why…_ **

****

**_As for the Neptunia Side, this fic takes place somewhere in the middle of Hyperdimension Neptunia Re:Birth 1._ **

****

**_The events of Fate/Grand Order are also tied into this fic's story, and that's all. Any more info would be spoilers for this fic._ **

 

**_Surge Concerto's story crosses at Chapter 7._ **

****

**_That would be all._ **


	2. Night of Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Trouble begins at night."

**_Fate/Grand Goddess_ ** **_Resurrection_ **

****

**_Chapter 1:_ **

****

**_“Night of Fate”_ **

 

* * *

 

 

A roar pierces the peaceful night of the Emiya house as a black scaled dragon rises up to the sky and dives down towards the purple haired Goddess, Purple Heart. In turn, the Goddess dashes forward swiftly, evading the dragon's dive that resulted in the monstrosity crashing down the ground.

 

As if not feeling the pain of the crash, the black dragon quickly gets back up as it slid through the ground, stopping its own momentum with its frontal claws, barely reaching a part of the house. The monster then quickly returns its focus on where Purple Heart stood, only to find the Goddess nowhere to be found.

 

A bright purple light from the sky alerts the dragon, and finds Purple Heart charging up her divine power, in the form of the humongous purple light that is now encasing and dancing around her body like a gigantic purple flame. The moment the dragon and the Goddess' eyes meet, the latter charges forward, with her sword readied for a predictable slash attack.

 

In response, the dragon quickly attempts a short dash, with its feet quickly readied for a quick hop to the side. However, Purple Heart had foreseen this, as shown by the knowing smirk on her face…

 

"Hmph. As I thought you would!" Purple Heart triumphantly says.

 

With a sudden burst in her flight speed right before the moment the dragon made its side dash, Purple Heart successfully lands a fatal blow to the dragon's left wing with pinpoint accuracy, cutting it deepat the root of the wing with a powerful rising diagonal slash from her lower right, causing a deep cut to the dragon's said wing.

 

Due to the combination of great pain and the interrupted momentum of its dodge, the wounded dragon rolls onto its side, leaving splurges of blood onto the ground and some flying in the air.

 

"Wha…wow." Hikaru watches in awe at the battle.

 

He had thought the Goddess before his eyes is a hoax, but…all that flying, planning, and slashing around had proved him otherwise. In fact, this whole fiasco had definitely erased his skepticism about the non-existence of the supernatural itself. That very fact that he just got protected by a goddess from a dragon that looked like it jumped out straight from a mythological book gave him the metaphorical middle finger.

 

As he watched the fight, something began to burn in Hikaru. Something that he himself did not expect to feel. His heart beats wildly as he watched Purple Heart ready her weapon once more. It was, at that moment, Hikaru realized what the burning sensation inside of him meant…

_Rise up._

_Pick up your blade._

_Fight._

_Protect._

_FIGHT!_

 

" _I know I'm playing with fire here. Fire that can burn me completely…or bring me victory. There…must be something I can do! Something…I can pick up to fight with! Not the stupid wooden sword in my hand!_ " Hikaru mentally says.

 

There are knives in the kitchen…but, however, a butcher knife obviously won't make it past the dragon's thick scales.

 

What is needed would be a weapon that's both thick, and sharp pointed. A weapon that can be used for both thrusting attacks and heavy swings. Last time Hikaru checked, dragons have no scales from the lower neck up till the base of the tail. Areas that can be pierced a lot easier with a powerful thrusting weapon. One with a long reach, preferably.

 

Something long, sharp, and hard hitting when thrown, like a lance…

 

Another problem would be protection against the dragon's attacks.

 

Purple Heart can fly and dodge everything easily. Hikaru knew he was just a normal human, and he doesn't have the Goddess' flying ability, nor does he have invincibility frames when he performs a dodge roll. Better than nothing, he believes, but something like a thick shield would be a bigger help. Something that can withstand heavy swings…

 

Hikaru shook his head. No matter what he does, there's no way he can take on a dragon in a melee fight, or even just help Purple Heart, unless…

 

…he has something that he can throw or fire from a long range.

 

Purple Heart may be a Goddess, but that doesn't rule out the possibility that even divine beings might have a limit on their stamina and endurance. There's always a chance of things going wrong, especially when fighting large bosses that looked like it'll take at least an hour to kill. In this fights, a support character would be needed…

 

A thought then sparks in Hikaru's mind. He remembers his house's storage house. His father, Shirou, would bring all sorts of appliances and broken objects there. Hikaru has never been inside there for a long time now, not knowing what recently might have been added to his father's collections of appliances and broken items…

 

…which is why the best place to look for a possible weapon would be in there, he thought.

 

He returns his attention to the fight, and sees the dragon charge forward towards Purple Heart.

 

The Goddess quickly flies up, causing the dragon to slide from its own charge, and crashes on the fences and onwards to the walls of the dojo building headfirst. Hikaru's jaw drops at the sight. His Mother going into Terminator mode for a few weeks confirmed.

 

Purple Heart has a slight look of regret, before shaking herself back into battle. Any property damage shall be paid for by her Basilicom, she reminds herself. Hell, she'll even pay for the damages herself, she thought.

 

The dragon pulls back its head from the hole of the dojo's wall, and rears its head in anger at Purple Heart, who just flew up high enough that she's at least seventeen feet away from the top of the Emiya residence.

 

In response, the dragon proceeds to spreads its wings, and goes upwards to chase after the purple haired goddess. Hikaru's jaw dropped at the sight, and at the same time, also lost some of his motivation from earlier.

 

"Yep, totally out of my league…This is pretty much the same as starting D**k Souls as a Deprived Character…" Hikaru sighs as he proceeds to set his eyes on the warehouse. Taking into consideration all the things that his father had taken inside the place, there's always a chance that a weapon might be among them. Hikaru himself has never been inside that warehouse for years, as he would only call for his father from outside all the time whenever Shirou is inside.

 

"Might as well get myself something to stab that dragon with…or something to protect myself, at least."

 

Muttering to himself, Hikaru runs towards the door of the warehouse, and slams it open. He then proceeds to the wall on the left side of the door, and activates the switch for the warehouse's lights. Greeting Hikaru's sight are hills upon hills of broken appliance and other objects made of metal. The only way around them were the gaps between each hill, areas where the stone floor is outright visible.

 

"The objects with dangerous, pointy things must be somewhere at the other end of this room, just like those warehouses in RPG's. It might even be behind a hidden or an illusionary wall!" Hikaru tells himself as he jogs through the open path, wary enough not to stumble and land on his face atop the hills upon hills of appliances and broken objects. After a few seconds, he stumbles at the wall at the end of the room…

 

…Where a large insignia of sorts is inscribed on the wall, with letters of a language he doesn't understand a written around it. The insignia appears to be circular, with multiple signs and letters in and out of it, with a single, empty circle at the center of it all.

 

"This is just my gamer's intuition talking, but…" Hikaru focuses his attention on the small, empty circle in the middle of the insignia, "…Something might just happen if I were to place my hand on that strange, empty circular space. Okay, it might be crazy if Father actually does magic and keeps something fishy in here, but, hell, I've just seen an actual Goddess and a dragon in action! What's the harm in exploring and discovering magical crap running in the family?!"

 

Taking a deep breath, Hikaru places his right hand onto the middle of the circle…

 

…Which causes the said wall to lit up and disintegrate into specks of blue sparks of light, causing Hikaru to jaw drop.

 

"Wha…what the freaking hell?!" Hikaru felt himself back pedal at the sight before him. Replacing the wall is a space and a set of stairs leading down somewhere dark. Although faint, Hikaru could see a source of light down the end of the stairs, indicating a lit room behind a closed door.

 

" _To think that…something like this was down here all along. Could it be that Mother and Father are keeping something from me? I seriously wasn't expecting anything when I touched that wall. What could it be that they're keeping as a secret from me? The answer…might be behind that door!_ " Hikaru gulped as he thought of the possibilities that await him down below. Could it be some sort of magic laboratory? A compulsory tutorial dungeon of sorts? A room where the all the evils of the world is sealed or some shit? Could something like King Arthur's Excalibur be hidden down there? Cliché as it sounds, he will have to go down there and see for himself.

 

"Okay. Here goes nothing…" Hikaru tells himself as he goes down the set of stairs, straight into the depths of darkness…

_Meanwhile, back with Purple Heart and the Black Dragon up in the skies…_

 

Purple Heart quickly dives down as a torrent of flames are fired by the dragon from its mouth, before proceeding to move its head to where the Goddess dodged, forcing her to swerve to the side in the last minute before getting struck by the flames. The dragon follows suite, its breath of flames chasing after Purple Heart as the dragon moves its head to where the Goddess would move towards.

 

"Tch…" The Goddess makes an annoyed look as she increases her speed to get out of the dragon's reach with its breath, before going up higher. The dragon quickly stops its breath of fire, before flying up full speed towards Purple Heart, who responds with a sudden dive backwards. This causes the dragon to force itself to make a sudden stop in mid-air, only to roar in pain as Purple Heart quickly makes a heavy slash on its tail, completely cutting it off and causing it to fall straight into the middle of the Emiya House's courtyard.

 

Blood spurts endlessly from the stump where the tail was once stuck.

 

"Oh, my…That certainly feels painful, does it not?" With a victorious, proud grin, Purple Heart points her sword towards her heavily injured enemy, "If you wouldn't want your head to be next, why don't you just run away and tell your master that her efforts to take me down are for naught?"

 

The dragon roars fiercely…before flying straight for the black hole in the sky, where it jumped out of earlier. Purple Heart's jaw dropped at the sight.

 

"Wow…didn't think someone was reasonable enough to take my offer, and it had to be a boss monster of all things. Well, there goes my boss EXP for the day." Purple Hearts says as she looks at the black hole. Relieved for a short while, she probably wouldn't have to worry about monsters popping out of the portal soon…

 

And then, multiple creatures started raining out of it. Namely, they appear to be goblins, riding atop crows that were about the size of an adult tiger. Each goblins were wielding short swords or axes on one hand, as the other one is holding the reigns for the crows. They all saw Purple Heart as soon as they popped out the portal…and charges towards her, much to the Goddess' infuriation.

 

"Goblin Riders, huh…Might as well make sure none of you arrive on land alive!"

 

Wasting no time, Purple Heart charges forward, swiftly slicing a goblin rider and his crow at the same time with a single swing, decapitating them both at the process. More goblins charged towards her, only for one of them to be impaled by Purple Heart's sword and gets used to smack the others senseless, fatally falling all the way from the sky…and landing onto the courtyard of the Emiya residence once again.

 

"At this rate, I will have to make sure that none of them can get near Hikaru-kun below…"

 

Purple Heart makes a dive, determined to reach the upper premises of the Emiya residence before anyone else. However, blocking her way is another legion of Goblin Riders, all armed to the tooth and are pointing those sharp weapons at her.

 

"Curse you all. I won't let you mobs get a hand on the protagonist before my affection raising event happens!" Purple Heart declared as she proceeded to engage the goblin riders in combat. If there was one thing she was sure she will accomplish, it would be preventing Hikaru from visiting a ' _certain dojo named after a tiger_ ' at no matter what cost.

 

Somewhere, Fujimura Taiga and a certain Einzbern homunculus sneezed…

 

Meanwhile, unknown to the purple haired Goddess, was a goblin who survived the fall, and is slowly regaining consciousness in the courtyard below…

 

* * *

 

 

Hikaru could not believe his eyes.

 

Entering the room at the lowest end of the staircase beneath the warehouse, what greeted him shook him quite greatly.

 

Displays upon displays of weapons, each of them looking like they got ripped out of some online game or a mythological book, or even a museum, all of them made Hikaru shake in fear…and awe.

 

Wasting no time, he heads for the section of the wall where swords were hung. Taking a closer look, he could see a paper tag sticking on the handle of each weapon. One in particular read as:

 

" _Name: Claiomh Solais -IMAGE-_

_Rank: B (Original: SS)_

_Class: Great Sword Noble Phantasm_

_Mana Usage: Outright Greedy. Will kill user on the spot should mana run out._

_Existence Time Limit: 1 hour. (Time Limit Starts when removed from Sealing Wall.)"_

 

Hikaru stared blankly.

 

However, reading the tags on the weapons, it's clear now…

 

That Shirou and Arturia…are not the normal parents Hikaru has always thought they would be, even as he wishes they'd be. He gripped his heart on what may be happening to his parents without his knowledge.

 

Why would his father, a kind hearted, loving person who would forgive all mistakes with a smile and a small scolding, would need all of this…magical weapons for?

 

Is the reason why his Mother, a stern but otherwise a very doting and overprotective mom so skilled at swordsmanship must be something that had involved a lot of bloodshed in the past, not because she had a strong passion for swordsmanship itself?

 

Could something…very unpleasant had happened to his parents before he was born into this world?

 

However, remembering his current circumstances, Hikaru shook his head and focused on his current objectives. For him, no matter what happens, his Mother and Father shall always be his parents.

 

Last time he checked, he was…looking for a weapon. A sword with some weight and a good reach, preferably, he thought. Looking around some more, his eyes almost jumped out of their sockets as he skimmed through the array of swords and their…information tags.

 

Caladbolg, Hrunting, Muramasa, Masamune, and even the freaking Excalibur, all of which has the rank of B…and a mana consumption deemed as ' _fatal_ '. Moreover, there was this time limit on each of them, and that each of the sword's names ended with the word ' _IMAGE_ '. Is it possibly because their just rip-offs of the original? Whatever may be the case, Hikaru knew that there was no way such original copies of those legendary weapons would be hidden beneath his home's warehouse.

 

"Yep, totally gonna kill myself with those. Here's hoping I've got a good mana reserve. Or a user friendly magical sword. You know, that won't kill me after I swing it once." Hikaru told himself. If his father, and possibly his mother can do magic, why couldn't he? Magic and mana might be inherent, last time he saw in an RPG and a magic centric visual novel. But, taking into consideration that he's never used magic before, a sword whose consumption isn't described as fatal would be helpful.

 

As he skimmed around a little more on the tags, one of the swords finally caught his eye.

 

" _Name: Caliburn -IMAGE-_

_Rank: B (Original: A+)_

_Class: Long Sword Noble Phantasm_

_Mana Usage: Will depend on User's current mana amount. Will break to pieces once mana is gone._

_Existence Time Limit: 5 Hours."_

 

Here's one user friendly sword, Hikaru thought.

 

Wasting no time, Hikaru grabs it from the sheath that the sword uses to hand on the wall. Hikaru stares in awe at the blades design, namely the blue colored handle, the gold colored hilt, and the wonderful design of the blade. For Hikaru, it felt like those legendary swords that most RPG protagonists would get late game as a reward from the king, or the princess. Normally, he always liked it if it's the latter…

 

…You know, for that little cut-scene that comes up right after, in the Princess' bedroom…

 

Hikaru palmed his face and mentally slapped himself. Why the hell does he think of those eroges at a time of danger like now?

 

Now that he thought about, Caliburn IS a legendary weapon, being wielded by King Arthur before Excalibur. Good thing his Mother made sure he knew his Arthurian Legend by reading it to him so many times as a bedtime story while he was young. Well, if you can think of a country screwing up hardcore because their king has a hard time with facial expressions as a bedtime story, that is.

 

"What in the…my body…!"

 

Before he could turn his back, however, a surge of great pain erupted from all over Hikaru's body. At the same time, bursts of golden light starting dancing around his body. It was as if…something inside of his soul just burst out, like a dam that could no longer hold back the water it's supposed to stop.

 

"It hurts! It hurts! IT FREAKING HURTS! STOP IT! I SAID STOP IT!"

 

The pain, the screaming, and the dance of golden light continued for a few more seconds, before finally receding. When he came back to his senses, Hikaru found himself on his knees. He stands up…

 

…And felt that his body is now lighter, and in fact, he's feeling quite refreshed and a lot better than ever.

 

" _Whatever that was…I'm just glad I woke up. Now…I've just gotta head out there and see how I can help!_ " Hikaru made his decision, and with firm resolve, he runs out of the hidden room, and goes up the stairs…

 

He makes it back to the warehouse, and proceeds for the exit. However, his eyes bulged as there was… _something_ standing in the doorway of the exit…

 

Hikaru felt like himself shake.

 

Looking at him with murderous eyes is a 4 feet tall, axe-wielding green goblin.

 

" _Am I…really gonna do this?_ " Hikaru starts sweating bullets as he focused on the non-human in front of him, " _No, I can't hesitate. The moment I do, Mother and Father will come home to a coffin! I…will have to **kill** that thing!_"

 

Erasing all fear in his heart, and replacing it with the will to survive, Hikaru puts himself in a battle stance, with Caliburn in hand. Killing monsters…Hikaru never thought it'd feel this difficult.

 

The way the goblin looked at him, and readied its weapons…It was as if Hikaru was dealing with a living person, not a random encounter.

 

However, the moment hesitation gripped his conscience, it quickly slips away, as his resolve to survive and see his parents again takes over his fears…

 

Hikaru tells himself…

 

"I can't die here!"

 

The moment Hikaru said that, the goblin charges forward, axe raised for a swing.

 

" _A downward swing!_ "

 

Hikaru quickly side steps right before the goblin sung down the axe, causing it to hit nothing but air, much to the monster's surprise. Hikaru quickly lands a quick, powerful horizontal slash on the goblin's arm that held the axe, severing several muscles that are vital for the goblin to use said hand. Hikaru quickly back pedaled as the goblin shouted in pain.

 

The goblin's bone can be seen from the bleeding wound, indicating the strength of the swing. However, instead of giving up or running away, the goblin quickly resumes the fight by picking up the axe with its undamaged left hand, and in a fit of rage, charges towards Hikaru with pure killing intent, and the axe now set from below.

 

Hikaru quickly notices the weapon's position…

 

" _Rising diagonal slash, from the left!_ " Hikaru makes another mental warning, before setting himself in a defensive position.

 

And he was correct.

 

The goblin quickly executes the rising diagonal slash from the left, which Hikaru dodged with a couple of quick steps to his back. However, the goblin quickly follows up with a charge and a descending diagonal slice from the upper right…a move Hikaru had foreseen. The latter quickly makes a gap between his hands on Caliburn's handle, and using that gap, guards and parries the goblin's own attack, and in turn, leaving the monster open, for a single second.

 

With wasting any time, Hikaru launches a descending swing with all of his might, outright chopping off the goblin's left hand from the elbows. Blood spurts from the stump as the golbin starts screaming in even more pain. However, Hikaru's combat instinct quickly snaps him from the surprise, and without hesitation, he lands a powerful, two-handed swing from his left, aimed at the goblin's neck.

 

In a split second, the goblin's head flew up the air, before landing on the ground, and rolling onto a nearby hill of broken appliances. Blood now also bursts from the stump that used to be the goblin's neck, before the body of the said monster finally fell down on its back, twitching for a few seconds as it lay.

 

Meanwhile, Hikaru falls flat on his butt, and his whole body is trembling. His breathing is heavy as well.

 

Those nine years of relentless training finally proved their use. And yet, Hikaru felt no accomplishment, only emptiness and regret inside. Killing someone…really is something that he will never ever get used to…

 

" _Is this…what it feels like to kill someone? I…did this to protect myself, right?_ " Hikaru asked himself as he rested and tried to calm himself.

 

One thing that was without a doubt in his mind is that…

 

He survived. For now.

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile, back at the Emiya residence courtyard…

 

Purple Heart sighed in confusion as she observed the multitude of goblin and crow corpses around her. Back in Gameindustri, the enemies would disintegrate into pixels as soon as they are finished off, but, in this unknown place her oracle has sent her, however…

 

The random encounters suddenly gained a working biological anatomy.

 

"Looks like I'm gonna have to work on burying these corpses. I don't like it one bit, but I'm the one who sent them dead on Hikaru-kun's courtyard after all…Oh, maybe I could get him to help me?" Purple Heart pondered as she observed the corpses. She waited for a few minutes, expecting the corpses to disintegrate into pixels like they would usually do, only for that to not happen. Sighing, she decides to look for Hikaru instead.

 

"Oh, and speak of the devil!" Purple Heart says with a smile on her face, as she sees Hikaru exit from the door of the nearby building, carrying a fancy looking sword. Before the Goddess could run towards him, however…

 

A chained dagger crashes right in front of her, causing Purple Heart to jump back a few notches. Following the chain, the Goddess finds a strange woman atop the roof of the building that Hikaru just came out of, holding what appears to be the other end of the chained dagger that landed in front of Purple Heart.

 

The woman has a very long purple hair, in a tone that's lighter than Purple Heart's. She has a pair of extremely light purple eyes filled with hatred beneath a pair of round, transparent glasses. For clothing, she wears a black polo neck top, and a pair of blue jeans.

 

"What in the…Rider-san?! You're an acrobat or something?!" Hikaru blurted out aloud. The woman named Rider jumps down near Hikaru, and as soon as she did, she drags the boy protectively behind her, like protecting someone from an incoming wave of plague. Her cold, piercing eyes never left Purple Heart's confused own. From what the Goddess can see, it's the same look of a person who suffered a great tragedy, and found the person responsible for the said tragedy.

 

"I thought the gods had disappeared eons ago. But…here you are, attempting to make a toy out of an innocent mortal once again. Good thing Saber sent me to check up on Hikaru-kun. Else…the life of an innocent mortal would have been in peril. Again." Rider says as she pulls back her chained dagger with her left hand, and holds Hikaru tightly with her right, without an ounce of wanting to let go. Rider makes a quick look at the chopped dragon tail and the corpses of the goblins and crows around the courtyard, and then towards the bloody blade of Caliburn in Hikaru's hand.

 

"I see…Up to your old tricks again, aren't you? You gods and your attempts to get mortal champions to play with…Just how many times are you willing to bring humanity suffering for your amusement till you're satisfied?!" Rider nearly shouts in anger, a state which Hikaru had never seen her in at every time she's around the Emiya household. Normally she'd have a warm, kind smile on her face. But now, she sports nothing but an expression of an older sibling on her last stand in protecting her family.

 

"Wha…what are you talking about?! There's no way I'd do something like that to humans! Especially those under my protection!" Purple Heart argued, while giving Rider an unrelenting glare, "And besides, I never even met you. I do not know of you. What gives you the right to say those words?!"

 

"Lies. All of it are lies. After everything that you've done to me and my sisters back then, I have _every single right_ to say each word that came out of my mouth earlier!" Rider says in a chilling, low voice, each syllable dripping with pure, killing intent, "Moreover, there's no way I'd have a mistake recognizing you, just because you wear different clothing. Those blue eyes, that hair, that skin, and that face…" Rider gripped her chained dagger tight in hatred as she speaks, "Like hell I wouldn't recognize you, **_Athena!_** "

 

Athena?! Hikaru's jaw dropped. He was in the presence of one of Greece's Goddesses this whole time?!

 

"Athena?! I do not know who are you speaking of! And I am most certainly not this Athena of yours, woman, for I am Purple Heart, Goddess of Planeptune! Now…let us clear this misunderstanding and just talk things over first? Please, put away your weapons. I only wish to speak!" Purple Heart says, albeit not losing her defiant tone of voice. Rider, however, simply pointed her chained dagger at the Goddess.

 

"You will not do any talking, I'm afraid. If there is one thing I'd tell you, it's this…" With a look of resolve, Rider proceeds to speak in a determined tone of voice, "I will not let you ruin the lives of those close to me ever again. Goddess or not, prepare yourself!"

 

Without waiting for Purple Heart's answer, Rider charges forward, with her sole desire being able to not let Hikaru fall into the Goddess's hands, no matter the cost, even if it's her life…

 

She could at least slow down the Goddess with her _Mystic Eyes_ while Hikaru runs away to Shirou and Saber…

 

_-Chapter End-_

 

 


	3. "Parallel World"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Life is always fraught with danger, especially those who arrive outside their comfort zones.
> 
> ...Willingly or not."

**_Fate/Grand Goddess Resurrection_ **

****

**_Chapter 2:_ **

****

**_“Parallel World ~Imminent Dangers~”_ **

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Haaaah!" Purple Heart roared as she executes a wide, horizontal slash at Rider, who barely manages to dodge against the Goddess' speed and ferocity. That single blow could've cut her and her weapon in half cleanly, no doubt. The Servant then quickly releases her own counter by charging in and landing a flurry of kicks, only for the Goddess to effortlessly dodge all the blows and land her own single, quick downward swing, which Rider barely avoids with a roll to the sides, before leaping out of the Goddess' range.

 

For the Servant, this battle was not giving out vibes of victory from the start. Sure, the opportunity for revenge and redemption came, but at a dangerously high price. In fact, it truly was a foolish idea to try and fight the Goddess of War and Strategy upfront in the first place. Rider wanted to hang herself, out of shame towards her losing of control on her emotions the moment she saw 'Athena'. The fact that she shouted and took the attention of the divine being and asked her to a fight was the same as literally signing up her death warrant.

 

Even if she were at full power, there was no way 'Medusa' will ever have the power to win against 'Athena'.

 

Seeing that this is the case, Rider decided to change priorities. Right now, the moment Hikaru Emiya falls to the hands of the Goddess, that would mean the servant has failed in stopping another tragedy, as well as Saber's trust. Winning the fight is out of the question. The primary goal…is to make sure that Hikaru reaches Shirou and the others at the Tohsaka Manor, and have Hikaru tell them of the situation, as well as having both Shirou and Saber join Rider in at least driving away the Goddess of War, if the Servant of Mounts herself is still alive at that time, that is.

 

"Hikaru-kun! Listen carefully!" Rider shouts as loud as he can, earning the attention of Hikaru, who was hiding behind the doors of the warehouse where he fought a goblin earlier.

 

"Please, run all the way to the Tohsaka Manor. Tell your parents about what happened here, at your home. Hurry! I don't know how long I can hold off Athena…" Rider declared aloud, before barely dodging another set of slashes from Purple Heart, who had an irritated face at Rider's words.

 

The Goddess herself does not understand what this 'Rider' person's goal is, nor does the latter seem willing for a peaceful negotiation, as the woman seems to be set on protecting Hikaru, not to harm him. However, Hikaru's friend or not, anyone who gets in between the Goddess and her destined champion… _shall be taken down._

 

Before that, however, as the benevolent Goddess of Planeptune, she must at least try one more time to ease the violence. She, too, must try to make a proper first impression to the champion she shall take away.

 

"I do not understand your intentions, or your goals, but…" For a split second, Purple Heart eases her battle stance, and looks the Servant of Mounts in the eyes, as the Goddess spoke, "I told you, I am not here to harm Hikaru-kun. I am simply bringing him with me, to pay him back for answering my calls and saving me, and for him to achieve greatness by becoming my champion!"

 

As soon as she was done speaking, Purple Heart quickly dodges an incoming charge by Rider, before parrying the chained dagger sent by the Servant. However, at that moment, Rider takes off her glasses, and whispers…

 

"…Look into my eyes."

 

The moment Rider's eyes met Purple Heart's, the Goddess felt the sensation of her body being enclosed…in soft jelly. For her, it was a funny, odd sensation, like a failed attempt on a paralysis spell. Instead of breaking out, the Goddess uses this opportunity to fully observe and listen to the enemy before her, who began to speak.

 

"Ah, so you're going to make him another one of your sources of entertainment? To enjoy watching him struggle between life and death, and outright abandon him when he fails your expectations? Hmph, not surprising, considering how you and those other unloving gods look down on humanity like they were disposable insects. Not even your demi-god children felt any love from their supposed divine parents. Why do you even think I would hand over my friend's child to you?" Rider retorted with a cold tone of voice, while gripping her weapons in a battle stance and readying herself for an incoming attack. Meanwhile, Purple Heart could only sigh. It appears that a truce is impossible after all. However, at the same time, she, too, cannot harm the woman with the chained dagger, without possibly angering Hikaru. And thus, the Goddess decides on one solution…

 

"…Heh. It seems that this little misunderstanding has gone too far." Purple Heart says with an annoyed tone, before fully breaking out of the effects of Rider's mystic eyes with but a single burst of divine energy from her own body, although it did not surprise the Servant, even looking like as though she had expected it.

 

"It seems that we are at an impasse, Rider-san, was it…?" Purple Heart's eyes gave a look of pure killing intent, directed at Rider, "If words do not reach you, then…I shall simply beat you to unconsciousness and be done with this senseless fight!" As those words left Purple Heart's mouth, a bright purple glow radiates from the entirety of her body. Rider barely have even just a split second to react as Purple Heart charged at her with the speed of a revolver bullet, sending the Servant flying high with a single, powerful rising slash, before Purple Heart follows up with multiple slash-and-dash attacks in mid-air at a blinding speed. Rider looked like she was staying at a single place in the sky as she was continuously juggled in mid-air with multiple attacks by the Goddess.

 

"Rider-san!" Hikaru shouted in fear and great worry. No matter what the Goddess had declared her intentions to be, he…cannot let his own friends suffer for it. Especially someone whom he thought of as an older sister, and in turn, also treated him like he was her younger brother.

 

Rider has always been the quiet one. At first, Hikaru had been intimidated by her, the Servant's primarily cold demeanor towards other people not helping. However, when Hikaru first talked to her years ago, the warm, welcoming tone she gave when greeting him and talking to him completely contrasted the cold form she showed many others. From that point onward, when Rider would visit the house, she would be the first visitor Hikaru greeted with a big smile which she would return in kind with a smaller, but no less sincere smile of her own.

 

As Hikaru grew up, Rider was also the one who helped him with his ever increasingly complex studies and helped him learn. When Arturia and Shirou are away, it's always Rider that volunteers to watch over Hikaru on his younger years. The glasses clad woman is the closest person Hikaru has as an older sister.

 

Thus, it was of no question, of what Hikaru's aim right now is.

 

Rushing forward to where Purple Heart is currently standing, Hikaru takes a long deep breath, before shouting with all of his might and air that his lungs can muster.

 

"Purple Heart-san! Stop this! Please!" Hikaru practically begged, running as he kept on shouting. However, it all went in vain as Rider was still being juggled in mid-air by a series of purple flashes of light which was the Goddess basically moving in incomprehensible speed.

 

"I have no choice…I must find a way to stop them!" Hikaru muttered in desperation under his breath. Right now, recklessly charging in trying to pacify the two combatants with words would be an obvious suicide, taking into consideration what just happened, but…Hikaru could not let Rider be hurt any further. She fought for him, and got hurt for him.

 

For Hikaru, he can't let this continue, no matter what happens to him in turn.

 

As if in response to his emotions, the sound of a large church bell ringing echoes in his mind as Caliburn began to glow in his right hand, earning his attention. At that moment, Hikaru felt something being taken away from his body. Extreme pain corroded his innards, although this time they were not enough to knock him out, but only make him let out a loud cry of pain.

 

It was as if his insides were made of slime, and are slowly, and painfully being sucked gradually by the sword into itself. Taking a look at the sword, Hikaru surprises himself at the multiple shreds of light that jumped from the entirety of his body and are all flying into Caliburn, which glowed even more and more as the light from his body kept on being absorbed by the weapon.

 

"Is Caliburn…consuming something from me? Like the equivalent of my Mana Points or something? Damn, that hurts. Do all those mages in RPG's go through this too? Ugh…my vitals…" Even as he grit his teeth through the pain, a realization popped in Hikaru's mind at that very moment. With this, he can…

 

A sinister smirk makes its way into Hikaru's face as he slowly proceeds towards Purple Heart and Rider's location. As soon as he was about a few meters away from the flashes of purple light, he takes a deep breath, and reassures himself…

 

"Ok, Emiya Hikaru. You can pull this off…For Rider-san!" Hikaru then focuses his attention on the fight before him, "Sorry about this, Purple Heart-san…Hey, Goddess of Barbaric Violence!" Hikaru whispers the first part, before shouting out the last one.

 

Those words, though not making any sense, was said loud enough to make Purple Heart stop whatever she was doing to turn her attention to the one who threw an insult at her. As a Goddess, she doesn't take even the pettiest insults well, something that Hikaru had remembered from all the greek mythology stories that Rider had read to him during one of their study sessions for his mythology class, which covered Greece at that time.

 

Even before Purple Heart had turned her eyes around, Hikaru had taken the stance…of readying to throw the Caliburn at mid-air, specifically, towards Purple Heart.

 

"Eat _THIS!_ "

 

The moment the Goddess had fully immobilized, Hikaru chucks Caliburn with all his strength, sending the Noble Phantasm spinning and flying in mid-air towards Purple Heart at the speed of a bullet, leaving the Goddess to guard out of surprise and the lack of time to properly react. In Purple Heart's eyes, however, it was just a sword, nothing much special, and won't cause that much harm when guarded against.

 

…A large explosion of golden light engulfed the area as Caliburn collided with the Goddess' own sword with the force of a landing shooting star, the Noble Phantasm exploding in the process and sending Purple Heart up high to the skies, and Rider falling down towards the ground. Seeing the latter, Hikaru runs with all his might.

 

"Make it…Make it, make it, make it!" Hikaru roared as he sprinted with all of his might, intent on catching his sister figure before she makes a fatal landing onto the ground.

 

In the last second, Hikaru manages to catch Rider as soon as she neared the ground, causing him to use his back to take all the stress of catching and landing on the ground after saving his sister figure. The pain from the landing combined with the pain of his innards thanks to what Caliburn did earlier made Hikaru cry out in pain for a few seconds. In fact, the pain was already so much to bear, that he outright fell unconscious…

_A few minutes have passed…_

 

Rider's eyes shot open.

 

What greeted her eyes is the white colored ceiling, of the guest room of the Emiya household.

 

A look of horror flashes on her face as she remembers what she was supposed to be doing. Getting right up, the Servant rushes out of the guest room's sliding door, and rushes out of the house.

 

Her jaw dropped as Hikaru nor the Goddess were nowhere to be found, not even a trace of any of them. Only the rotting corpses of what appears to be goblins and oversized crows were left around. In fact, the only other thing that disappeared was the strange, black hole-like presence in the sky above the Emiya house. Rider dropped on her knees as a horrifying realization hits her…

 

'Athena' has successfully kidnapped Hikaru…

 

"I'm sorry, Shirou, Saber…I failed the both of you…" Rider muttered to herself, clenching her fists in frustration, before looking back at the Emiya household.

 

For the Servant, she has no idea on how she should face the Emiya couple, and most especially, tell them of the kidnapping that had occurred. There's also the fact that she herself has no idea where the Goddess had taken Hikaru. It was by then, that a thought strikes Rider's mind.

 

The dead monsters around her…the Goddess' appearance…the black hole in the sky…

 

Without wasting time, Rider jumps up the rooftops, before jumping and sprinting over many more buildings. With a new resolve born in her heart, Rider decided that she should at least have the dignity of reporting everything that had happened back at the Emiya household, most especially, the black hole that most likely brought the monsters and the Goddess she loathed so much back here, on the present world, where those two things are already supposed to be gone millenias ago.

 

There truly is something happening, and the Servant knew that she must find out what it is…

 

* * *

 

 

" _Ah, you're back…my hero…" The familiar voice of a mature woman greeted Hikaru, in an empty space filled with nothing but darkness. Looking for the source of the voice, Hikaru finds a purple ball of light floating right in front of him._

 

"That voice… _Purple Heart-san? Is that you?" Hikaru asked, causing a few seconds of silence, followed by a giggle from the ball of light._

 

" _Ah, I see. Sorry, but you have the wrong person. You still do not recognize me. You still do not know who I truly am, even though someone already pointed it out to you, my dear hero." The voice replied, despite sounding exactly like the Purple Heart that Hikaru had met. A look of confusion obviously paints itself on the latter's face._

 

" _Then…who are you?" Hikaru asked, only to be answered with another, albeit malicious giggle from the ball of light._

 

" _You shall know in the future, my dear hero. Please, be patient until then…until you've found your way to where I am. When you can finally split open the way to the blue skies once more…we shall meet again."_

_A flash of light then consumes all the space that Hikaru floated in…_

 

* * *

 

 

A blast of cold air slapped Hikaru's face, causing him to jolt awake. Opening his eyes, he found himself dropping his jaw at the environment that greeted him.

 

The boy found himself in the middle of a clearing, which was surrounded by trees, grass, and many sorts of flowers. Anyone with even just a basic knowledge of ecology and common sense would quickly know that this place is a forest, albeit, looking like one of those beginner area forests back in the MMORPG's that Hikaru himself had played. Unlike in those MMO's, however, Hikaru can actually breath in the clean air that went with the forest's amazingly natural appearance. It was as if this place wasn't touched by human civilization at all.

 

In a gap between one of the trees, Hikaru can see from afar what appears to be a city. Although, instead of the usual skyscrapers he'd see in Akihabara…

 

It might not be a clear vision he's seeing, but, one of those skyscrapers don't even remotely look like they were made or designed by an architect in earth, and the rather odd purple coloring and futuristic design reminds Hikaru of those sci-fi movies with the ' _travelling to the future_ ' plotline.

 

A realization hits Hikaru like a truck. Just to make sure, however, he looks around once more, seeing the rather unusual design of the trees, grasses, animals and insects he's never seen in an encyclopedia, and most obviously the diamond shaped holograms that floated at the different parts of the forest within Hikaru's vision.

 

He then checks his phone in his pocket, and sees no signal available for his current connection provider, which would mean the telecom company is basically nowhere around the place he's in.

 

Beads of sweat rain down from all sides of Hikaru's face as he realizes his current situation…

 

"I…I'm in another world! Holy crap, this is like one of those light novels! Am I…" Hikaru looks around expectantly, with a big, happy grin on his face, "…Am I gonna see one of those cute half-elf maid waifus one of these days, just like on Outbreak C*mpany?! Wait, that's not important right now. Rider-san…Is she-"

 

"Unfortunately, we only have Goddesses here, not elves, or even half-elves, for that matter, Hikaru-kun. Also, Rider-san is alright, although I didn't bring her with us." The familiar voice of Purple Heart shatters Hikaru's expectations, causing him to look behind him in tears that comically flowed like a fountain as he stared in contempt at Purple Heart. The Goddess, in turn, was a little surprised to see the teenager cry.

 

"Don't go crushing a man's dreams! Oh, wait, you're…" Hikaru declared, before remembering that it's Purple Heart that is in front of him. Suddenly remembering what he did to her with Caliburn, he does not hesitate to prostrate on the ground.

 

"I…I'm so sorry about earlier! Please, don't slice me to pieces with your uber-combo!" Hikaru practically begged. He saw for himself what happened earlier with Rider, and pretty much realized the possibilities of what might happen if he pisses off the wrong Goddess. In his mind, Hikaru swore: _He can't die till he meets a half-elf in a maid costume!_

 

"…Ufufufu, now, now, you don't need to bow that deep, Hikaru-kun. I also won't hit you with any uber-combo whatsoever." Purple Heart replied, with a soft smile on her face, "I admit, I was a little surprised, at first. But, I'm not disappointed at all. If anything, you proved yourself worthy of being taken here. A champion of Planeptune has to have guts, after all."

 

While he certainly does not understand the Goddess' logic, Hikaru made a relieved sigh. However, one of the words that Purple Heart declared bothered him, "Now that I think about it, what is this thing about me being a champion? I certainly don't remember fighting dragons and all that stuff for your country or anything else that would make me deserve that title." Hikaru asked, being a little intimidated about being described by a Goddess as a Champion. If anything, he never did anything much for her, nor does he have the capability to be able to do so. Hikaru knew he was just a normal human, and thus, it's pretty much obvious that he does not really deserve such title, especially one that is declared directly from an actual Goddess.

 

"Ah, that. It's a…long story. Only Histoire knows the specifics, so…I believe that we should head back to Planeptune first. Here, equip something to protect yourself on the way back." Saying that, Purple takes out a sword from behind her, and chucks it on the ground in front of Hikaru. The latter's eyes widened as he recognized the familiar design of the great sword.

 

"Purple Heart-san…Where did you get this sword? It's… _Caliburn!_ You actually found it after I chucked it at your face?" Hikaru asked, feeling both excited and shocked, stuttering a bit as he spoke. Purple Heart, however, tilted her head to the sides as she tries to explain.

 

"Well, it didn’t really land so far from where I landed myself. And did you says it was named Caliburn? What is it, a legendary sword of some sort?” Purple says, before gesturing Hikaru to pick up the sword, which the latter outright shakes his head at. And also, did she just say she manually performs raids on illegal operations herself? That's a job for her human worshippers, Hikaru thought.

 

"But, that sword has a mana consumption rate. That thing will kill me the moment I run out of mana! It's powerful alright, but it's basically a suicidal weapon for people with no knowledge of magic, like me. So yeah, I can't take that one." Hikaru explained, earning him a small set of amused giggles from the Goddess, who simply picked up the Noble Phantasm, and directly hands it to Hikaru.

 

"Oh, trust me Hikaru-kun. Mana points are not a problem in _Hyperdimenion Neptunia!_ And besides, protagonists have plot armor, so you won't die from something silly as mana overuse!" Purple Heart bombastically declares, before urging Hikaru to take the sword in her hands.

 

"… _Bad Ends_ exist for a reason! Also, Purple Heart-san, too much plot armor on the protagonist is bad. Like _Star Wars:_ _The F*rce Awakens_ kind of bad! Or worse, K*ra Yamato from _G*ndam SEED_ kind of bad! Or even worse, _Sword Art Onl*ne_ levels of bad!" Hikaru retorts, before taking ahold of the Noble Phantasm. A warm, welcoming feeling caresses his body as soon as Caliburn is in his hands, a feeling no different from being bathed directly below a gentle kind of sunlight.

 

"Now, now, Hikaru-kun, let's stop that and just begin your first story mechanic tutorial, alright? As a start, please…call me…Neptune…" Purple Heart says…right before losing her balance and was about to fall down the ground on her face before Hikaru dropped the weapon in his hands to catch her. As he held her, a strong heat radiated from Purple Heart's body.

 

"This feeling…it's like a fever. If I'm correct, then…she must be the one who took me to this world through that black hole in the sky, which in turn…would mean that she probably spent a lot of energy from inter-world travelling…or rather, that's what the RPG's I've played told me about these things. Either way, world level travelling must be exhausting, if a Goddess like her can get this tired. And did she say her name was Neptune? Is she the Roman, gender-bent equivalent of Poseidon or something?" Hikaru commented, proceeding to carry Purple Heart piggy back style, and picking up his sword right after. Surprisingly enough, Purple Heart isn't as heavy as Hikaru thought she would be. There also the issue of two large, heavenly soft mounds resting on his back…

 

"Whoa, whoa, Emiya Hikaru! Hold your hormones! And move! Now that I think about it, Purple Heart…or rather, Neptune-san here mentioned something about going to a place called Planeptune…Must be that purple colored city I saw. I mean, they're both purple, so there's gotta be a connection…" Hikaru muttered to himself, before walking on the path where the clearing in the forest would lead. The city he saw earlier is at least an hour's worth of walking. Also, there is a river that seems to go to the general direction of the strange city he saw. Looks like water isn't going to be a problem for now, Hikaru thought.

 

"Moreover…I will have to ask how in the world was she even able to go to my world in the first place. Was Neptune-san also the one responsible for that black hole? Or was it someone else? Man, this feels like a light novel plot!" Hikaru commented as he trudged forward, keeping his sight on the direction where he saw the purple clad city. If he won't have any physical problems or RPG style encounters along the way, he just might be able to make it to the city before sunset…

 

Now that he thought about it, his circumstances are basically screaming _"The plot about a teenager in another world with a Goddess"_. His eyebrow quickly twitched as he sees some sort of familiarity with the phrase…only for his face to go pale when he does remember what was it that felt familiar.

 

Hikaru only looked at the sky as he walked, silently wishing that the Goddess he's carrying on his back isn't a purple palette swap of Aqua from _Konos*ba!_

_An hour passes by…_

 

Purple Heart is placed on the side of a tree, with her back resting on it, and still asleep. Hikaru, meanwhile, had made improvised drinking cups from folding the rather large leaves he found hanging from the nearby trees. The leaves were as wide as a small plate, and when rolled together with other leaves, they can make a cone-like drinking cup. Using one of the two cups he made, Hikaru fills it with water, and starts feeding them to the unconscious Purple Heart by very small drops, so that she won't start choking on water. Even though someone is unconscious, they're not exempt from dehydration, even in well shaded areas like forests.

 

After making sure that the Goddess has been rehydrated, Hikaru himself takes the other leaf-cup and goes on to drink water with it, drinking about five cups in a row. Now, that's one hell of a thirst, Hikaru thought.

 

Looks like all that magical shenanigans he went through has taken quite the toll on his body. Hikaru only hoped that he'd at least make it to 'Planeptune' conscious.

 

"Hold it right there!"

 

However, as he went back to pick up Purple Heart, Hikaru makes a hop backwards as a blue colored flash passed in front of him, barely dodging the swing of a katar that was aimed at his neck. Hikaru felt cold sweat as he felt the cold killing intent from his attacker. However, knowing that he'll die the moment he hesitates, Hikaru forces himself to look at the appearance of his would-have-been-murderer.

 

The attacker is a teenage girl, around at least two years older than Hikaru is. She wears a black and silver tank top and black short shorts with a belt that has a big buckle that bear the letters IF. She wears an opened blue jacket that's a few sizes too big over that. Around the back of that jacket are many cellphones kept in their cases. Her hair is brown and just barely reaches her waist, some of it tied in a side ponytail by a green leafy bow that compliments the color of her eyes, which are also green, and filled with killing intent. The brown haired girl also carries a pair of black colored katars as weapons, being held in a battle stance. Moreover, is it just him, or, did the girl just sound like Tohsaka Rin?

 

" _A Katar wielder…Light armored as well. There's no doubt that she's a fighter that relies heavily on speed, critical hits on openings, and pragmatic tactics. And considering her set of clothing, she most likely traded better protection for better speed, or maybe to make extra usable weight space to be able to carry long ranged weapons to compensate for her lack of defense…The typical Glass Cannon set-up._ " Hikaru thought as he analyzed the enemy before him. Normally, encounters with humans are to be started with a negotiation, but, in the case of someone who attacks without warning and blatantly wears the equipment of Assassin type characters, chances of this succeeding are very low.

 

Hikaru swore to himself back home in the fight against the goblin; _He can't die here, no matter what._

 

" _Now, the only problem left is to know her movement speed. Once I know the minimal and possible maximum limits of her speed and reflexes, I will have the key to victory…Which means I will have to be on the defensive till I have a better vision of her fighting style and know how fast will I have to re-adjust my counters to compensate for her movement speed._ " Hikaru noted as he adjusts his stance in a defensive manner, hoping to survive for a set of time where he could at least get the gist of the katar-wielder's way of combat. It is only by then that he can surely control the flow of tide in this battle…if things end up going that way, that is.

 

"Oho? Didn't expect the pervert to dodge that. I'm impressed." The brown haired girl comments, with each syllable dripping with poison. Readying her katars, the girl lets out an excited smirk, "Let's see you dodge the next ones, then!"

 

Hikaru quickly held his left hand up, "Wait, wait! Can we just talk this out first? I mean, I don't even know what you're attacking me for!" The boy complains, not even once losing eye contact with the brown haired girl, knowing that once he does, something fatal is about to hit him, "Could you at least settle down a notch and tell me why did you just try to kill me just now?!"

 

"Why wouldn't I? Some random blonde _girl_ just kidnapped my friend, in her transformed state no less!" The brown haired girl spat, causing Hikaru to raise an eyebrow. No, it was not because he was accused of kidnapping, but rather…

 

"…Not to rain on your parade, but I'm actually a guy." Hikaru says in a monotone voice, before gesturing to his pants, "Believe it or not, I've got an _XXXcalibur_ down there, not an _Avalon._ Also, I did not kidnap your friend. She actually saved my life earlier and she brought me here as a result." Hikaru finished, his tone of voice unchanging.

 

If there was one time he felt like cursing his genetics, its times like these. It was thanks to his face and thin body frame, that two years ago, he got roped into joining his class's cheering squad, and even becoming the squad leader after the girls voted for him as such, on the virtue and measurement of being the 'cutest'. Yes, even among the girls in class.

 

Jinako did not let him live it down, and even took some pictures of the event.

 

Not to mention Tohsaka Rin's rapid firing of a digital camera at the main cheerleading contest. Then, there's also Rider, Matou Sakura, and even his own mother having their own cameras, sinister smirks, and set of pictures right after. Everyone in the Emiya family suddenly got great black-mailing material on Hikaru. What really bothered Hikaru, however, was that both girls _and_ boys of the school had hearts in their eyes as they watched him along with the cheering squad.

 

He actually got popular at school thanks to that. He did quit the cheering squad after the contest, though.

 

"Wait, you're a boy?! But, your voice…your voice actor is basically _Miy*ki Sawashiro!_ No way you're a guy, with that face _and_ voice!" The Katar-wielding brown haired girl argued, causing Hikaru to palm his face in frustration.

 

Why are things always this difficult, Hikaru mentally complained.

 

"Screw you! I'm just a late bloomer! I even have an adam's apple! What's next, want me to pull out my _XXXcalibur_ for you?!" Hikaru nearly shouted, his face already red with annoyance. Meanwhile, the brown haired girl quickly waves her hands in front of her.

 

"W-w-w-wait, no need to strip, _miss!_ I mean, sir! Let's calm down and talk things out, alright? Also, please stop using weird euphenisms for your –censored-!" The brown haired girl somehow pulls back her katars back into her sleeves, before taking a deep breath and speaking calmly.

 

"…My name's IF. What's yours? And…How in the world did Neptune end up like that with you?" The brown haired-girl introduces herself, and reaches out a hand towards Hikaru, whose suspicion spiked up at the sudden hospitality.

 

"I…F? As in, just IF? That's your name?" Hikaru had an honestly shocked look as he kept on speaking, "Did your parents hate you or something? Wait, were they hipsters who always go to _Starb*cks_ at 7:00 AM to buy just one cup of coffee, only to stay for an hour because they were actually just after using the WiFi?"

 

"Just tell me your name, would you?! I already told you mine! And no, my parents don't go to _Starb*cks_ at 7:00 AM!"

 

"Okay, okay, jeez." Carefully watching the brown-haired girl's hands, Hikaru hesitantly grabs the girl's hand for a handshake as he introduced himself.

 

"I'm Emiya Hikaru. And as for how your friend, Neptune, who's resting back there met me…"

 

However, before he could continue, the ground suddenly shakes with great strength, along with the appearance of cracks that threatened of the ground breaking down and leading to a sink hole. This alerted Hikaru and caused him to run towards Purple Heart on instinct, before carrying her bridal style…

 

"Oi, oi, what do you think you're doing to an unconscious person?!" IF commented, causing Hikaru to look back at her with an annoyed expression.

 

"The ground's about to crack, idiot! Let's boot it out of he-"

 

Before he could finish his sentence, the ground completely breaks down, causing IF, Purple Heart, and Hikaru to fall down a deep, dark hole on the ground.

 

* * *

 

 

_Meanwhile, beneath the home of the Goddess, known as the Basilicom of Planeptune…_

_A gigantic, black steel gate began to glow with red runes as it began to open. Blue colored light explodes from the insides of the open gate, pelting the premises with a blinding azure._

_The light eventually subsides, revealing a blue colored portal awaiting rather unsettlingly from inside the opened gate._

_Having watched the whole spectacle, a small, fairy-like figure that sits upon a floating tome, makes a soft smile of relief, looking expectantly at the azure colored portal, before declaring out loud…_

 

" _Looks like Neptune succeeded, since the summoning portal has opened. This means the Envoy of Gaia has finally arrived. Looks like it's time for me to search for the traces of the seven heroes' catalysts that have scattered upon this world…In three days, that is." The fairy-like figure spoke in a happy tone of voice, as if final gaining hope…_

 

… _Hope that her world can be saved._

* * *

 

 

"Gah! My…my innards…guh…"

 

The cry of pain from Hikaru Emiya echoed around the entirety of the cave that he, Purple Heart, and IF fell onto from the collapsed ground from above. While IF managed to land and roll on the ground from her fall, Hikaru wasn't so lucky as he had to make sure that Purple Heart didn't take as much damage from the drop, Goddess or not. As a result, his back and internals felt like they got hit by a Dempsey roll powered punch from a minotaur.

 

"…Hey, Emiya, you still alive there?" IF asked, causing Hikaru to slowly lift and place Purple Heart on the ground before him. Finally able to breath clearly, albeit with pain from his lower stomach area, Hikaru does his best to reply.

 

"Yeah, still conscious and able to move, at least…I think I gotta rest a bit to mend the pain of my back, though…Guh…" Hikaru groaned as he tried to sit up, the pain on his abdominal area stinging rather hard. Seeing this, IF takes out a disc from her pocket, presses the green button on its middle, causing it to release a pillar of light which then dissolved into a green colored hologram, with its interface written in a language which Hikaru recognized as _English_ back in his world, and based on what he saw, the hologram resembled the set-up of the common main menu's from RPG games.

 

IF then presses a button, which lead to the inventory menu, complete with the list of items that looked nostalgic to Hikaru, who recognized the design as being similar to the inventory screens from the 2D era RPG's he played years ago.

 

IF chooses an item with the icon of a blue crystal bottle. With that, the hologram transforms into a ball of blue light, before dissipating and leaving what appears to be a small bottle of blue colored potion atop the disc that IF had taken earlier. Without wasting a breath, IF hands the blue potion to Hikaru.

 

"Here, drink this, and don't leave a single drop. It should quell the pain and also heal whatever you broke in there." IF says, followed by Hikaru taking the potion and looking at it like an excited kid who's about to open a Christmas present.

 

" _Holy crap, a **real** HP potion! I really wanna keep this around instead to take home as a souvenir and flaunt it to Jinako, but…wouldn't wanna be rude to IF's kind offer here…_" Hikaru thought as he hesitated to open the potion, and instead prompted to take a look at IF. The brunette simply shook her head and spoke.

 

"Don't worry. You can pay me back later. And I've got at least near a hundred extras of that, so just drink it already. We've got to hurry out of here, after all." IF declared, looking around the cave area that they were in.

 

Meanwhile, before drinking the potion, Hikaru voices out his curiosity, "What do you mean? Is this a place filled with monsters or something?" After saying that, Hikaru quickly opens and chugs down the potion. Tastes like _P*psi Blue_ , he thought with a slight disappointment. However, all the pain he felt disappeared as he ingested the potion, much to his awe.

 

"Yep, you nailed it. This cave…it looks no different from the usual cave type dungeons me and Neptune would explore for our mission from the Guild…although, something feels off about this one. Which is why I told you to hurry up." IF explained, with her tone pretty much screaming of urgency. The brunette couldn't really explain it herself, but, it feels life as if they were being watched by something…horrifying. Its presence, whatever it is, is enough to make the veteran adventurer feel waves upon waves of coldness on her spine.

 

"Alright, I'm all set!" Hikaru energetically declares, before pocketing the empty potion bottle. However, the moment the bottle enters his pocket, the item fades into blue light, much to Hikaru's disappointment, "Man, I wanted to keep that as a souvenir!"

 

"…You keep commercial potion bottles as souvenirs? Are you one of those strange characters with weird, unhygienic hobbies?" IF commented, causing a raised eyebrow from Hikaru, who then proceeds to retort.

 

"At least my name sounds normal!"

 

"Oh, piss off! My name is totally unique, but not abnormal. Pretty sure there's also someone out there who would name their baby IF!" The brunette countered.

 

"What kind of decent parents would name their child IF?! Even hipsters know that being unique has its limits!" Hikaru bantered back. Seriously, naming your child with just two letters is crossing the line, even for the sake of being different, Hikaru thought. It's pretty much the same as having to go buy a grass-cutter just to use it for shaving your beard off.

 

"I told you, my parents weren't hipsters! And besides, what kind of parents would name their blond haired, green eyed, ivory skinned child with an orient name?! It's so off. It's like a bad anime character design!" IF spat back, with veins now plopping all over her face. Hikaru is in the same state now too.

 

"I'm half-Japanese, half-British who's born in Japan, idiot. Of course I'd get a Japanese name, you hipster!" Hikaru retorted. IF then bantered back, only for Hikaru to follow up again.

 

"What the hell's British, and what the hell's Japan?! And I told you, I'm **not** a hipster!"

 

"Your name says otherwise!"

 

Before they could continue their argument, however, a loud, angered roar echoes around the cave, its volume causing the walls of the place to start shaking rather strongly, in a fashion that is similar to a weak earthquake. Hikaru quickly draws out Caliburn in alarm, and IF readied her katars as well.

 

"Emiya…stay back and guard Neptune. I can entrust you with this, right?" IF says, before looking Hikaru in the eyes.

 

"…I can do just that. But what about you?" Hikaru asked, his own sight not leaving IF's even for a second, "You're not planning to solo fight that thing just now, right?"

 

"No, but I'll only be scouting for what that thing is, and if there is some way we can get out of this cave without having to fight it. Moreover, I can't leave Neptune alone either, which is what you're here for. To wait for me till I'm done checking up the place. And just so to remind you," IF's eyes turned serious as she continues, "Don't ever go out alone with Neptune. There's no way you can fight with her left alone vulnerable. And if anything happens to my friend…I'll never forgive you, you got that?"

 

"I got that alright. You can trust me on this." Hikaru replied without skipping a beat, much to IF's surprise.

 

"…I'll write off your debt with the potion if all three of us can get out of this place alive." IF turned her back to the boy as she spoke, "So don't die, either."

 

With that, IF quickly, but stealthily sprints from their current location, heading straight into the darkness of the cave's path. Meanwhile, Hikaru positions himself in a place near in front of the still unconscious Purple Heart, and sits there on his knees, with _Caliburn_ in the ready beside him.

 

"Well, a little meditation won't kill me now, won't it?"

_Ten Minutes later…_

 

The sound of metal clanking shakes off Hikaru from his meditation, causing him to pick up the Noble Phantasm beside him, and stand up quick in alarm. Hearing the clanking from his left, Hikaru turns his sight towards it.

 

Walking toward Hikaru's general direction is a six-foot tall robot. Its body shape are round, consisting of round metal hands, arms, body, legs, and head, each part around 20 inches wide. Metal cables can be seen from its joints, as well as the stomach area where there is no metal armor covering. The left arm of the robot seems to have been torn off, as torn metal cables still sparkling with electricity are what's left of the said arm. The head of the robot resemble that of an un-chopped onion, with its forehead engraved with the name _Siegmeyer_. The robot appears to be an old one, evidenced by the rusts all over its metal coating, as well as the constant, loud clanking its body makes at each movement. It also carries a large sword in its right hand, which Hikaru recognized as a _Zweihander._

 

"A strange robot, with a Knight theme going on, and is named Siegmeyer. So, this is my first random encounter, huh?" Hikaru commented, noting the incoming difficulty of the enemy. From a first glance, one can guess that the robot's fighting style would be most likely rely on slow, but powerful swings that can be guarded, but not parried. Its armor presents a tough challenge, which the gaps in its armor would avert right after, with the open stomach of cables pretty much screaming that it is a weakness. And lastly, due to the Siegmeyer's size, it most likely has a strong, near unstoppable combat poise, which means that out-powering and staggering it with parries is out of the question.

 

Before Hikaru could think out a proper tactic, the robot charges forward, roaring something close to a distorted scream of a middle aged man. Hikaru quickly side steps to the left just as Siegmeyer slams down its great sword, the ground it hit cracks from the force of the swing and the momentum it had while running. Seeing the damage, Hikaru made a mental note to use guarding as a last resort, and rely on dodging at all times in this fight.

 

However, a look of surprise draws itself on Hikaru's face as the Siegmeyer suddenly lurches forward into a roll. It was a slow, pointless roll that Hikaru recognized, and made him drop his jaw right before he side-stepped to the left in response to the robot's follow up cleave after it rolled…slowly.

 

" _That thing just fat rolled! Holy crap, didn't think I'd see it in a setting other than D*rk Souls!_ " Hikaru thought as he re-enters a defensive stance, before speaking, "Hah! Did not invest enough souls for your Vitality stat? Go soul farming first and equip some light armor for the time being, you casual."

 

In response, the robot follows up with a swing from the left, to which Hikaru responded with a well-timed back step. The latter had a look of expectation when Siegmeyer quickly follows up with a powerful thrust, as its swing earlier had set up the robot's hand to be able to swiftly add a thrust attack.

 

However, as large great swords have great advantages, it also has great disadvantages. While the _Zweihander_ has fearsome swings, thrust attacks with this weapon using one hand has devastating results when not handled properly, due to its lack of strength, focused poise and balance compared to a two-handed thrust, and one-handed or two-handed swings. Moreover, due to its weight, getting a one-handed thrust from a large great sword guarded or parried will cause great recoil to even one who mastered the weapon.

 

And considering that the current wielder of one is a robot…

 

Hikaru takes advantage of this knowledge, and wastes no time parrying the Siegmeyer's thrust attack to the left using the blunt side of _Caliburn_ , and charges in quickly to get the robot in his sword range. He then executes a two-handed horizontal swing with all of his strength at the Siegmeyer's abdominal area, successfully cleaving the robot in half.

 

The sounds of static can be heard from the robot's head as its upper body falls down, before making a large clunk when it landed on the ground. In a few seconds, the chopped up body of the Siegmeyer exploded into gold colored pixels, surprising Hikaru.

 

"Hah…hah…hah…Damn, although this is already my second life or death fight, my heart still beats fast at this…situations…haaah…and did that thing…just exploded…into pixels? Holy…crap…" Hikaru commented between deep, long breaths. Sword fights are common for him due to training with his mother and as well as the kendo matches he's joined, but none of them made him think twice in decision making as his recent life-or-death encounters did.

 

Well, maybe except those times when he manages to land a hit on Arturia.

 

While the adrenaline was…impressive, the constant fear of dying in a real fight still clings to Hikaru's mind. While that fear is locked away deep during the heat of a battle, it still dauntlessly haunts him after a victory.

 

What if he's not so lucky next time?

 

What would he do if the situation becomes hopeless?

 

What must he focus on when the tides of a fight are against him?

 

However, before he could make up any answer, another set of metal clanking took his attention. Looking to the source, Hikaru's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

 

What greeted him was the sight of _three_ incoming Siegmeyers. Two of them being an exact copy of the one Hikaru defeated earlier, and the third isn't really much different.

 

Well, other than the fact that the third one has a working left arm that's carrying a large, rectangular, rusty metal _great shield._

 

"Isn't that **_fair?!_** Screw this, I'm outta here!" With that, Hikaru runs to Purple Heart, carries her piggy back style, and runs out of there, as his life literally depended on it. Running into the same direction IF went earlier, Hikaru takes the time to shake and try to wake up the Goddess on his back.

 

"Purple Heart-san! We really could use your uber-combo right now!" Hikaru shouted as he ran, but to no avail…

 

* * *

 

 

_Meanwhile, with IF…_

 

The brunette stealthily walks through the path, narrowly avoiding the presence of various Siegmeyers. Having no idea of where she's supposed to go, she simply goes forward, while leaving multiple land marks on the nearby walls in order to make it easier to go back to Purple Heart and Hikaru later.

 

"Wha…what in the world is that?!"

 

IF swiftly sees a bright light from afar, indicating an exit of sorts. She runs towards it, eager to check if this will lead her anywhere. However, while it indeed led outside, what greeted her was a large area, almost as large as a football stadium.

 

What waited is a large staircase that led upwards to a gigantically wide altar, which appears is surrounded by waterfalls. Wanting to waste no time, IF stealthily runs up, and after a few seconds, she reaches the top area.

 

Sitting alone in front of the altar, was a woman that appeared to be in her twenties. She has long, sky blue hair that reach below her knees, with her bangs reaching just right above her chests. She has bright red eyes, with the shape of a white butterfly encompassing the irises. She wears a plain, white gown.

 

However, the most notable trait from the woman would be her horns, which grows down from the two sides her head, and are shaped like the number 3 facing her body.

 

" _Laaaa~ laaaa~ laaaaa~!_ " The woman seemingly sang, her voice temporarily entrancing IF, who manages to snap out of it after the blue haired woman had stopped singing. To IF, it was as if…the singing voice of the blue haired woman had some rather…soothing magic on it, like the effect one would have when a mother is singing a lullaby to her child. Although, as the brunette also noted, the tone of the song also seemed like it was meant to be calling out to someone instead of lulling them to sleep.

 

Looks like she will have to talk first and ask for help, IF thought. Besides, the more people in a party, the better.

 

However, before she could say a word, a frantic Hikaru carrying Purple Heart dashes right on IF's right side, surprising her as the boy started shouting.

 

"Alright! I'm finally outside-wait, it's just waterfalls anywhere! Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…" Hikaru frantically complained as he looked around, unable to find anything that resembled an escape route. However, the ruckus he caused prompted the blue haired woman at the front of the altar to stand up. In turn, Hikaru manages to catch sight of the said woman as she looks at him as well.

 

Seeing that the woman might be someone who knows the place well, as he learned from RPG's about NPC's inside dungeons, Hikaru wastes no times and asks, "I'm sorry for being rude, but…I really _need_ your help right now, miss! Say, you know where the exit is?"

 

In response, the blue haired woman…suddenly gets tears in her eyes, much to Hikaru and IF's shock. The brunette, however, did not waste this opportunity to sling a comment at Hikaru.

 

"You made her cry from just your presence. Very uncool, Emiya!"

 

"Piss off, hipster."

 

Before the two could continue their argument, however, the sounds of the three Siegmeyer shook them off and made them re-focus. IF, in particular, is a little mortified at the newcomers.

 

"Emiya, you brought them here?!" IF shouted.

 

"I had no choice. I can't fight them with Purple Heart-san still unconscious. And I don't think I'd win in a 3-vs-1 against robots with swords and shields!"

 

Having no choice but to fight, Hikaru makes sure to gently place Purple Heart far away from the area where IF is, before running back beside the brunette and readying his weapon.

 

IF readied her katars as well, intent on stopping the incoming group of robots.

 

Meanwhile, the blue haired, horned woman from earlier observes eagerly…

 

* * *

 

 

**_Notes &Trivias:_ **

****

**_Anyone who has played F/GO (JP Server) to the end of the story chapters would pretty much have an idea on who the blue haired, horned lady is at the end of this chapter._ **

****

**_Servant Summoning is already at the next chapter!_ **

****

**_Also, this fic's events are tied to F/GO's story, as I mentioned in one of the two earlier chapters. Specifically, this fic starts sometime before the Babylonia Singularity._ **

**_That would be all!_ **


	4. "Champion of Velvet"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Heroism is accessible.  
> Happiness is more difficult."

**_Fate/Grand Goddess Ressurection_ **

**_Chapter 3:_ **

" ** _Champion of Velvet ~The Grand Holy Grail War Begins~"_**

 

* * *

 

 

Hikaru braced himself as the Siegmeyer charges in, its zweihander raised. Behind the said robot is another one of the same kind, but only with a working left hand that carries a metal great shield in tandem with the zweihander on its right hand, running rather slowly and as if waiting for an opportunity on something, which Hikaru guessed as an opening for the robot to land a killing blow on him.

 

The shield-less siegmeyer closes in on to Hikaru, executing a heavy diagonal swing which the latter quickly avoids with a swift back step. He quickly makes a charge forward and attempts to land an attack similar to the Siegmeyer's…only for the robot to make a side step of its own, with the shielded Siegmeyer suddenly leaping forward and executing a slamming attack with its sword on Hikaru, who managed to guard the attack on the last minute but was still sent flying by the robot's sheer force behind the attack.

 

Hikaru felt slight pain as he rolled over the ground, before getting up on his feet in a split second. The moment he looked up, Hikaru quickly catches sight of the shield-less Siegmeyer raising its sword at him, causing him to roll out of the way as the Siegmeyer swung down the zweihander in its hands. Hikaru finally gets up to his feet a moment after, only for him to quickly guard himself with his weapon as he braces himself for the other Siegmeyer charging in and about to execute a bash with its shield.

 

"Shit! ARGH!"

 

Despite being able to guard in time, Hikaru was once again sent flying, this time by the Siegmeyer's shield bash, with the former sliding and rolling on the ground as a result. Now lying on his stomach, Hikaru quickly looks up, in case the robots are going in for a finishing hit while he's down.

 

…And he was right, as the shield-less Siegmeyer, is now running towards him, zweihander positioned for a downward stab. Hikaru quickly rolls away and gets up on his feet, preparing himself for the incoming robot, seeing an opportunity at the robot's probable way of attack. The Siegmeyer launches a powered thrust, which Hikaru counters with a two handed parry with his own sword, causing the Siegmyer to lose equilibrium and start wobbling. Hikaru wastes no time and slices the Siegmeyer horizontally on the main body, successfully leaving the robot cut in half and causing it to disintegrate into pixels.

 

However, before he could celebrate any victory, Hikaru finds himself sent flying once again from another shield bash by the other, shielded Siegmeyer, causing the former a lot of pain as he rolled ever the ground, before finally getting back up.

 

Hikaru carefully observed the enemy before him as it circled slowly, but steadily around him. The robot's combat stance showed no openings. The moment Hikaru would try to fish for a side or a back-stab, his face will literally meet another shield bash. The shield looks way took thick for Hikaru to attempt to pierce it as well, despite the shield's own rusty appearance. It looked way to tall for Hikaru to attempt an attack from above as well.

 

At this situation, there is only one way to do this. It might be the riskiest method out of all the others, but...it is the only most effective way to dispatch the shielded for in front of him right now...

 

...That is, to land an attack the moment the Siegmeyer starts an attack of its own. In other words, a cross-counter. A high risk, high reward move. But, no other can solve this predicament right now, Hikaru thought to himself as he positioned himself to be able to dash forward quickly in a moment's notice.

 

" _It's do or die. I have no choice. I will have to put all my attention to killing it for certain. I have only one shot. The moment this fails, it is truly the end for me. And thus, it must die._ " Hikaru mentally told himself, as the Siegmeyer slowly peered its head from the side of its shield, a sign of the enemy analyzing for openings.

 

Hikaru knew, that unless there is an opening, the enemy in front of him won't charge forward like he planned. The same goes for any other enemy, robot or not. And thus...

 

" _I will have to give that opening by my own volition. Control its rhythm of attacks with a baited opening, at the risk of dying at failure of the counter-attack._ "

 

Hikaru slightly softened his battle stance and his breathing, letting out a slightly audible sigh. The moment air breaths out his nose, the Siegmeyer charges forward in a moment, aiming a thrust attack at Hikaru's vitals.

 

The moment its metallic, rusty great shield swung to its side to attack with its sword, the Siegmeyer twitched in surprise as Hikaru suddenly charged forward, sword held by two hands and pointed in towards his enemy. The sounds of static echoed throughout the place as _Caliburn_ pierced the Siegmeyer's head, before Hikaru drew his sword back and swiftly followed up with a horizontal swing, lopping of the robot's head. However, Hikaru knew he wasn't finished yet, as he quickly follows up with another horizontal swing, this time aimed at the Siegmeyer's stomach area, cleaving the robot's body in half.

 

In seconds, the robot's body exploded into pixels, signifying Hikaru's victory.

 

"Damn gankers...Can't they just attack me one at a time like in Ass*ssin's Creed?!" Hikaru commented to himself, before warily looking around him for any more incoming robots. He hears clashing metal, and looks towards the direction of the sound in alert.

 

Only for him to find IF...skillfully handling her own fight.

 

The brunette veteran adventurer looked she literallly danced as she gracefully and swiftly dodged a sequence of for swings from a Siegmeyer. The moment the robot's sword struck the ground, IF suddenly charges forward, landing three swift slices at the Siegmeyer's sword arm. The robot quickly proceeds to counter with a horizontal swing, only for IF to swiftly dodged with a backward quick step which she then follows up with three more quick slices at the Siegmeyer's arm. The robot quickly attempts to counter with another swing...only for its arm to fall off from where IF had sliced on earlier.

 

The Siegmeyer attempts to step back and run, but it was too late as IF had once again made quick slices at the joints of both the robot's legs with 3 swings each once more. The robot's body fell, which then IF follows up with an almost literal rain of thrusts from both her katars, obliterating the Siegmeyer's head and causing the entire robot to explode in pixels.

 

Hikaru's jaw dropped. It was, by no doubt, that IF is someone who's got more battle experience, from the way she handled the robot and on how fast she finished the fight. Everything flowed naturally from Hikaru's point of view. It was as if...fights like the one just now are basically IF's breakfast. Lunch. And Dinner.

 

"Wow…you must be some veteran Assassin or something like that, huh?" Hikaru commented, while walking towards IF, sword on his own shoulder.

 

The brunette adventurer shook her head before putting on a proud, small smirk on her face, "Heh, I'm no Assassin, but an adventurer. Thanks for the compliment, anyway." IF says, before sheathing back her katars back into her sleeves, much to Hikaru's surprise and curiousity. ' _Where and how the bloody hell does she do that_ ', Hikaru asked no one in particular.

 

"An adventurer? Is that an actual job around here? Is that a job that involves taking requests from people where you would slay some monsters or gather items for them?" Hikaru asked, his other curiosity shouting itself louder in his mind. This place being another world, adventurers are not that rare, but…for it to be an actual, paying job? The only place Hikaru saw that was in an MMO. He may not show it, but his heart is currently beating so rapidly at the possibility of an adventurer being a legit way of life. Any other otaku in his place would be the same, he thought.

 

"…I don't know which hole in the cave or which rock you came from under, but, yeah, being an adventurer is quite a difficult, but big job around here. Kind of like those high risk, high reward jobs, monsters and all. But never mind that. Where's Neptune?" IF explains, before looking Hikaru in the eye. The latter quickly points to the area near the gigantic altar in the area they were in, where Purple Heart quietly slept. Without wasting time, IF quickly runs towards the goddess, and carries her on piggy back, before turning her attention back to Hikaru.

 

"Well then, Emiya-kun, I know that you are a little tired after that scuffle and all, but, we should look for the exit quickly. I'd want to get Neptune back to the Basilicom as fast as possible." IF says, waiting for Hikaru to make a reply. The latter, in turn, remembers a certain, horned blue haired woman he met earlier, and looks around. He finds the said woman standing near the flight of stairs, staring at him and saying nothing. The look of the woman's eyes gives a cold shiver to Hikaru's spine, for some reason.

 

"Let's try asking that lady. She must have went in here through a different entrance than a crack on the ground. I'll do the talking." Hikaru says after gulping, before slowly walking towards the horned woman near the flight of stairs.

 

"Are you sure? I mean, you're shaking-"

 

"Oh, trust me. I can pull this off. Believe in me that believes in you!" Hikaru cuts off IF, while taking more and more deep breaths as he walked. In a few seconds, he stands a few steps away from the horned woman, who tilts her head in confusion at Hikaru's actions…and blushing face.

 

' _I didn't think she'd look this pretty up close! I mean, she isn't the first person that I've admired, but, she's…a monster girl! A real life monster girl! And so cute too!_ ' Hikaru gulped once again as he struggled to keep his inner monster girl fetishist suppressed. Had this horned woman been a blonde-haired elf girl instead, he'd be a wreck by now.

 

"Uhh…Say, I kinda asked for your help earlier, and I am hoping that you'd still help us and all, but…I realized I was being rude there. So allow me to introduce myself." Hikaru starts sweating slowly as he spoke more, "I'm Emiya Hikaru, and I would like to ask your help in leaving this…cave. What's your name, miss?"

 

The horned woman straightened her head from all the tilting, before making a look of understanding.

 

"…Tia." The horned woman says in a lisp, low whisper that only Hikaru could hear, "Name…Tia."

_Ah, one of those shy, mysterious types. If this was a visual novel, she'd make a fine gentle, loving onee-chan heroine_ , Hikaru commented as he quickly thinks up of what to say next.

 

"Nice to meet you, Tia-chan!" Hikaru managed to recover his posture, having remembered on how _shy type heroines_ are supposed to be handled… _in visual novels._ From what he remembered, he must try to be the active, out-reaching one to the shy of the heroine. But not way too much energy must be executed, or else he might intimidate Tia, he thought.

 

"Say, Tia-chan, did you happen to know the exit out of this cave?" HIkaru asked with a kind voice, while retaining his _'energetic'_ demeanor.

 

Tia only gave a small nod with an expressionless face, and swiftly turned her back and walked down stairs.

 

"IF-san, Tia-chan says she knows the exit and…is wordlessly leading us to it." Hikaru declares, causing IF to raise an eyebrow, before finally making a small sigh of relief. Despite his intentions, IF couldn't just trust him fully. The way the strange, horned woman quickly conceded to Hikaru's words…it was a little too easy. And also, Tia- _chan_? Seriously? IF shook her head at what she heard a little earlier.

 

"Alright then, lead the way…" IF says, causing Hikaru to make a nod a go down the stairs, which then IF followed suite. While indeed unsure of the authenticity of _Tia-chan_ ' _s_ claims, better than nothing, IF supposed.

 

Eventually, they reached the dark tunnels of the caves once again. However, putting their trust onto their guide, Hikaru and IF quietly followed the woman named Tia.

 

The silence, however, did not last. As they kept walking, Hikaru could not bear the rather…awkward silence going on, and decided to lighten things up…well, whatever counts as lightening things up in his definition anyway.

 

One good step would be to try to get to know his horned companion more.

 

"Say, Tia-chan…" Hikaru started, earning him the look of Tia, who tilts her head once again, and from how she looks, she appears willing to listen.

 

"What were you doing here, in this cave? You know, monsters and all, despite those awesome waterfalls where we found you." Hikaru asked, catious enough not to sound like he's prying into someone's personal business.

 

"I…was always…here. And…nowhere else…" Tia spoke once again, in the same lisp way of talking she had earlier, allowing only Hikaru to hear.

 

"Really? You don't have a home anywhere?" Hikaru asked once again. Taking into consideration what he had heard, it was either Tia was lying, or really does not remember anything at all. The former has a large chance of being the truth, however. Last time Hikaru remembered, monster people or even demi-human looking people were not always too trusting nor fond of humans…in the anime and video games he watched and played.

 

"I…don't remember…" Tia said, causing Hikaru to just nod his head.

 

"I see…I'm sorry for asking." Hikaru replied, to not offend the horned woman, who simply shook her head at Hikaru and gave him a small smile, before returning her attention on the road. Meanwhile, IF simply had a doubtful look at the duo. While she could hear Hikaru talk, Tia's voice was something similar to static sounds, not to mention that the low volumes she spoke at did not help. It's as if the entire thing was something done deliberately so that the brunette cannot hear anything.

 

IF could only hope that her fears are wrong.

 

* * *

 

 

After a half an hour's worth of walking, and the trio finally reached the exit of the cave, and eventually found themselves at the area just right outside the cave's mouth. Facing it is an area which IF quickly recognized.

 

"Wow…This is the first time I've been to a place this…beautiful." Hikaru says as he stares in awe at the wide, wide grassy plains that greeted him as soon as he, IF, and Tia went out of the cave. In all of his life, Hikaru only went back and forth Fuyuki, Akibahara, Tokyo, and sometimes, the countryside towns where he and his family would go to for a hot spring bath once in a while. The sight of the plains reminded him of how the main roads of the medieval ages were like, especially after he noticed the grass-less part of the plains that pretty screamed ' _main road_ '. Moreover, the flowers that grow along with the grass lose their white colored petals to the tug of the wind and making them dance all over the place, creating a beautiful view to all those present.

 

"Welcome to the Plains of Planeptune, both of you, though I'm sure you guys have been here more than once. But that doesn't make the view old, right?" IF commented, moving forward before turning her attention solely on Hikaru, who was still a little busy admiring the view of the plains…till IF kicked him lightly on the shins, much to his surprise.

 

"Whoa, can't you just say something?!" Hikaru complained, earning him a small, amused chuckle from IF.

 

"I already did twice, but you were too absorbed in thought. Sorry about that, Emiya-kun." IF says, not losing her smile nor her amused tone, "Say, mind doing me a favor and carry Neptune for a bit? I've been carrying her for thirty minutes now. My legs are hurting already…"

 

Hikaru's temper cooled down as he saw the still unconscious goddess, and makes a sigh, "Alright then. By the way, can you lead the way to, uh…Planeptune? I'm kinda new around here, so I don't know the way." Hikaru explained, before turning his back on IF and getting down on one knee, so that it would be easier for IF to place Neptune on his back. The brunette quickly understands and gently places Neptune on Hikaru's back, before making a relieved sigh as Hikaru stood up, now carrying Neptune.

 

"Is that so? You must be from another nation then. Oh well, I guess I'll help you out for helping watching over Neptune." IF says, before stretching her arms and legs, cracking some joints in the process. "Follow me, Emiya-kun, and Tia-san. We'll just have to follow the grass-cleared road to-wait, are you not going with us, Tia-san?" IF says in slight surprise, as their horned companion just stood at the mouth of the cave they were in, just shaking her head.

 

"Huh? Why won't you go with us, Tia-chan? You seriously aren't planning on staying here now, aren't you?" Hikaru asked, worry being obvious in his tone. He doesn't know if Tia has any combat abilities or not, but, why would she stay at a place filled with murderous robots to the brim?

 

"I can't…join…civilization." Tia replied, earning her questioning looks from IF, who was surprised she can now hear the horned woman, and an even bigger look of worry from Hikaru.

 

"Well, if you really don't wanna come with-hey, what are you doing, Emiya-kun?" IF cut herself off, as while she was explaining, Hikaru casually just went to Tia, and with careful effort, managed to gently grab one of Tia's hands with one of his own.

 

Hikaru then proceeds to look Tia in the eyes.

 

"I don't know what your reason is, but…there's no way I'm leaving someone like you here!" Hikaru said with conviction, voicing out what he feels deep within. To leave someone like Tia alone…there's no way he could live with that. He won't be able to face his parents knowing that he left alone someone who might have been needing help and company all this time, "If it's discrimination for not looking human, then, I'll kick the ass of anyone saying anything hurtful to you. If it's someone hitting on you, I'll swat them off. Whatever the case, I promise to not leave you alone, especially not in a dangerous place like this." Hikaru explained, not losing eye contact nor his tone for a moment, "And besides, I still need to repay my debt to you for saving us by leading us out of that cave. And we can't do that unless you're with us till the city. Isn't that right, IF-san?" Hikaru then takes a look at IF and winks, causing the brunette adventurer to sigh and scratch her head lightly.

 

So Emiya's one of those heroic wannabee types, IF thought. She can only hope his ' _heroism_ ' won't involve getting his ass in trouble for every people in need he sees and start producing swords out of thin air declaring ' _I am the bone of my sword_ ', just like that visual novel protagonist she watched from one of the games Neptune played. Seriously, she never thought heroic people can be actually so…distorted to the point that they'll dedicate their lives for the sake of others, without having their own joy in any form. Even Neptune was quite shocked with what she saw and had to transform into Purple Heart each time she had to play the game of that _'distorted'_ protagonist.

 

IF could simply pray that the heroic wannabee idiot in front of her isn't anyone like that.

 

"Yup, he has a point. So, as he said, whether you like or not, I'm taking you and Emiya-kun to Planeptune." IF declared, before going beside Tia and gently grabbing her other free hand, or in IF's case, wrist. Tia had a look of surprise from her and Hikaru's actions, and was on the verge of somewhat crying, but is skillfully holding herself from doing so. She could only give a nod to both Hikaru and IF, both who smiled victoriously.

 

It had been a long time since anyone held her hand and smiled at her like this, the horned woman thought.

 

"Okay, Emiya-kun, I'll make sure she won't get away, so just follow us and focus your strength on carrying Neptune." IF says, causing Hikaru to nod and let go of Tia, as IF did the same.

 

"Okay everyone, follow me till we reach the city, _and_ till we reach a really tall, ornate building inside the city, okay?" IF announced, earning her a cheer from Hikaru and a small nod from Tia. IF sighed in relief at the two's obedience and led them on the side of the grass-less road, where the brunette adventurer took out her phone, unlocked it and dialed a set of numbers, and talked to someone at the other end of the line.

 

The conversation lasted for 5 minutes, with IF thanking the person on the other end of the line and promising to report the events that led her to where she is right now. Meanwhile, Hikaru quickly cuts in.

 

"So, what was that about IF-san? Preparing an inn or something?" Hikaru asked, causing IF to lightly shake her head and replied.

 

"Nope. I simply called the Basilicom and told them that Nep's with us, and asked them to send a transport van to where we are. Because, seriously, Planeptune is an hour's worth of walk from here."

 

Hikaru nearly shouted _'Thank God'_ in relief.

 

Purple Heart wasn't the lightest of the beautiful women on the planet, after all.

 

* * *

 

 

"You…it can't be…he truly is nowhere to be found?" Arturia clenched her fists as she digested the information that Rider has just given her. Had she not left home, then…

 

"I'm sorry…Had I restrained myself, and did things more competently-"

 

"Do not depreciate yourself, Rider. You did what you can, and you were at least there. You did more than what this… _useless mother_ had done." Saber cuts off Rider, with the former's eyes still downcast. If only, she stayed home…she could've fought the kidnapper herself and might've saved Hikaru. But then…

 

"Saber, don't go taking all the blame by yourself. I am at fault too. I should've agreed about leaving one of us back home." Shirou intervened, his tone however, not discouraged or weakened. Instead, it reflects his resolve to look for his son after this. He cannot lost hope, no matter what, and he must make sure that Arturia thinks as such, as well.

 

"Hoh? Not to discourage that attempt, but, what are you going to do against the Goddess of War and Strategy, Emiya-kun? Tell her off that kidnapping people is wrong?" Tohsaka Rin cuts in, earning her a sigh from Shirou, who then shook his head and looked her in the eyes as he replied.

 

"I will simply do everything that I can to let my son escape to safety…if talking really will not settle things." Shirou replied without skipping a beat, much to Rin's expectation.

 

"Now, now, nee-san, and Shirou-san. Don't you think we must focus on finding Hikaru-kun first? I remember Rider saying something about…black portals around the sky, if I heard her correctly." Matou Sakura says, her tone kind and gentle. It was enough to shake Shirou and Rin from the small ignition of an incoming argument, and made the both of them sigh, as they remembered their new priority right now.

 

"Now that I think about it, she mentioned something like that. Rider, what about this portals you mentioned?" Rin quickly focuses her attention to the Servant of Mounts, who nods and takes a deep breath.

 

"The one I saw on the skies right above Shirou's house was where the monsters might have gone out from. While I was travelling on my way to there, I saw a dragon, with its tail cut, escape through the black hole that stood rather quietly. However, after I was knocked out by the Goddess, it seems the black hole had disappeared, as when I woke up, it was no longer there up in the skies above the Emiya residence." Rider explained as clearly as she can.

 

"A black hole…you mean-"

 

"Yes, it's the same kind that has been popping out of random places in the world, as well as the one in Misaki. I…believe that it might be connected to the place where the Goddess of War might have taken Hikaru-kun into." Rider finished, her eyes showing a look of assuredness and belief. If the monsters came out of there, then…it's also pretty damn obvious where the Goddess, who is not supposed to exist along with the Dragon and the goblins, would come out of.

 

A light of hope shimmer's in Arturia's eyes. If those black holes serve as a portal of sorts to the world that Hikaru is in, then-

 

"Shall we go and prepare for travelling, Rin? I cannot afford to stand idle. While I have great faith in my son's skills with a sword, I don't think it might prepare him for any enemy that doesn't resemble a human. Especially things like phantasmal beasts like dragons. Moreover, he has zero knowledge of magic, not even the basics." Saber declares, her usual dignified, stoic manner of speaking having returned, along with a strong resolve. Shirou popped a small smile, as did Rin and the others in the room.

 

"And this is why I persuaded a certain somebody to let me teach Little-Saberface the basics of thaumaturgy. It's such a waste, admittedly, since Hikaru-kun had such potential. Oh well, what's happened has happened." Rin commented, earning her a sheepish look from Shirou, much to her amusement. But logically, by the point of view of everyone in the room, it would have been a great help to Hikaru had he learned of magic and became a Magus. Shirou, however, vehemently protested against the idea, having gone through what it's like to be a magus himself. While Saber would have been alright with Hikaru learning magic, for the sake of his future, her concern for her son's safety eventually took over, and she ended up siding with Shirou on the matter.

 

"And I'll stand by my decision, Rin. I want Hikaru to live a normal life, and never cross paths with the Mage's Association, nor the Church. I won't change that." Shirou declared, earning him a sigh of annoyance from Rin, and a face palm from Rider. Sakura could only smile softly, before calling out to everyone else.

 

"So, what shall be our course of action, nee-san? You are the one with the jurisdiction concerning the anomalies in Fuyuki, after all. That includes the black holes that appeared around here, yes?" Sakura reminded her sister, who gives a thumbs up, before clearing her throat.

 

"Yup. However, as we still don't know even just at least the basic nature of these things, I don't think we'll be doing any diving onto them anytime soon." Rin declared, which prompted Arturia to react, only for Rin to quickly cut in and not let her speak, "Let me finish, Saber. This is a matter concerning otherworldly contact, something that the Second Magic has a good grasp on. And thus…I believe that I shall contact the one expert concerning these matters…"

 

Everyone's eyes slightly widened when Rin mentioned ' _Second Magic_ '. There are two people who are connected to it, the first one they know being Rin herself, and the other one being the Magus whom Rin as having an apprenticeship under…

 

"Wait…you're not talking about _that_ person, aren't you? I know that he saved you in the Association's Court, and you're currently his apprentice, but…" Shirou voiced out his concern, still unable to trust the man whom Rin studies under.

 

"We have no choice Shirou. And besides, he's the Wizard Marshall, whose specialty _IS_ Second Magic. When it comes to matters concerning other worlds and such, he's the only one we can rely on." Rin declares, with firm resolve in her voice. This is the only way they can do something, and find something, even maybe just the smallest trail of what happened to Emiya Hikaru.

 

"Do you even know where he is?" Saber asked, an eyebrow raised. Rin simply chuckled and gave a small, relieved sigh.

 

"Fortunately, I do. But, let's move on to what we should do for now." Rin assumes a commanding tone as she spoke, wanting to make the instructions she gives to be clear, "First, there are currently three of those aforementioned black holes around Fuyuki. One is in the forested areas near Homurahara Academy, and is covered with an illusion based bounded field allowing only authorized Magus to come in. Second one is in the middle of the forests near the Einzbern Castle, with no bounded barrier needed for cover. Third…is in the Fuyuki Central Park, also covered with the same illusion type bounded field as the one near Homurahara. I will need at least two people watching each one, while I head overseas to meet Zeltrech. Until then, simply observe the black holes."

 

"So, who's assigned to which area?" Rider asked.

 

"Saber and Shirou are to be the ones to observe in Fuyuki Central Park. Sakura and Rider are to observe the one in the forests near Homurahara. And by her own volition, Illya, her homunculus maids, and Berserker on the black hole in the forests near Einzbern Castle." Rin announces, before putting four rolled up pieces of paper on the table, "These are the scrolls containing the authorization insignia for the areas with the illusion type bounded field. Carry them with you so that you can nullify the illusion's effects and see the black hole even when you're outside the bounded field's area or inside it." Rin explains, causing Shirou, Saber, Sakura, and Rider to pick the scrolls.

 

"Nee-san, when are you planning to go meet the Wizard Marshall? Have you readied your things yet? I can help you prepare, just in case." Sakura says, looking her sister in the eye and assuring her that she is currently free to help out. Rin could only make a soft sigh as she replied.

 

"No need to worry, Sakura. I've gotten my preparations covered and am about to leave tomorrow! I'm going to stay at Emiya-kun's to make some last minute investigations tonight before sleeping, so you can head there tomorrow morning and help make breakfast. My flight's tomorrow night, anyway. And with that, we're done for now, everyone." Rin says, while making a smile and giving her sister a thumbs up, to which Sakura replied with a smile of her own.

 

As everyone was preparing to leave for their respective homes, Arturia saw Rider, waiting beside the door of the meeting room from earlier. Wasting no time, the King of Knights approached the other Servant, a serious look in her eyes present.

 

"Rider…Can I talk to you for a moment?" Arturia says, her eyes meeting Rider's, who tilted her head in curiousity.

 

"This Goddess you fought…can you tell me more about her, and what she said about taking my son?" The King of Knights asked. From what she knew of greek mythology, the gods and goddesses mostly play around with mortals for the giggles. But, at times, it might be out of admiration as well. The last time Arturia remembered, that the Goddess of War and Strategy, Athena, only contacted mortals whom she deemed worthy of her aid, and all of them were heroes of great caliber in the matters of tactics and clever tricks in battle, like Odysseus.

 

So why would she kidnap someone normal with nothing more than just training with a sword, like Hikaru?

 

* * *

 

 

"Holy crap…this is Planeptune?!" Hikaru's voice resounded throughout the insides of the van as the car drove through the roads of the Purple City of Progress, taking in the marvelous sight of the shops, buildings, cars, and almost every single futuristic objects they encounter during the trip. The large crowds of people added up to the lively atmosphere as well. In Hikaru's perspective, the whole place is what Tokyo would be like in a thousand years or so, when technology has finally struck the highest peak.

 

Everything looked so brand new to Hikaru, who is looking through the window like a child who went out of his house the first time, much to IF's amusement and barely held chuckling. Meanwhile, Tia, who is looking through the window on the side opposite to Hikaru, has a nostalgic look on her face.

 

It has been a while since she has been to civilization, she thought. It felt rather…calming to the horned woman.

 

Hikaru switches his attention from his side of the window, to the one at the front of the driver's seat, where he sees from afar multiple skyscrapers. Right in the center of all of them was the tallest one, as it boasted a design similar to the ones in the country of Dubai, which he saw in a magazine. Out of excitement, he proceeds to call out to IF.

 

"IF-san, the tallest skyscraper over there…what building is that? What's it for? Is it the main mall?" Hikaru asks, earning him the attention of the brunette, who answers with the same amused face she had earlier. To the latter, it felt like she is handling an overexcited child, something that she's planning to grill Hikaru about later.

 

"Well, that's the Basilicom, the sanctuary of the Goddess Purple Heart, and also the base of operation for her, her oracle, her knights, and her worshippers, which consists of all the people who work in the government, as well as occasional visitors from the normal people who pray at least once a week. You could say, it's Neptune's house itself. A rather busy house, that is." IF explains, not including the part concerning Neptune's working habits. There's more than enough disappointments on that division already.

 

"Wow…wasn't expecting a church to be that tall _and_ function as a house, a government center, and a place of worship at the same time. That's amazing!" Hikaru declared, causing IF to just nod with a smile, before checking her phone once again. It's nearly 4:00 in the afternoon, which means that there's going to be a lot of traffic en route to the Basilicom. Realizing this, IF turns her attention back to the rather excited Hikaru.

 

"Feel free to sit there a bit longer and take out your camera or something. There's going to be quite the traffic on the way, so we're gonna be seeing the sights for a bit longer." IF says, prompting Hikaru to take out his own phone, and ready himself for anything he considers cool or awesome enough to take a picture of. Jinako surely is going to choke him in envy once he gets back home, he thought with excitement.

 

"Got it, IF-san!"

 

* * *

 

 

It was was already evening when the van arrived at the Basilicom. Planeptune's traffic is something not to be underestimated. It was almost the same as that time Hikaru and his family went for a trip to Tokyo, and arrived there around evening using a car Shirou borrowed from a relative named Illyasveil von Einzbern, who is Shirou's adoptive older sister, and thus Hikaru's aunt. Due to work reasons on the said aunt's side, Hikaru never really met the woman, only knowing what she looked like from the pictures his father showed him.

 

The traffic at Tokyo caused the Emiya family to arrive at around 9:00 in the evening, despite arriving in the rather large city at 6:00. The time Hikaru spent in the car felt like the slowest moment of his life. His current experience in Planeptune, however, was not as boring. After all, it was a parallel world, with different architecture, culture...different everything. Even the sight of the strangely designed traffic lights and the surrounding roads, buildings, and cars were something that Hikaru took delight in snapping a picture of.

 

The van eventually makes a stop right on front of the Basilicom's main entrance. Its doors open, with IF coming out first, followed by Hikaru, then by Tia. IF then swiftly grabs and carries Neptune from the front seat, before turning her attention to her two other companions.

 

"Okay, the two of you, listen up. The moment we enter the Basilicom, just follow me quietly and no talking to anyone else, especially anyone asking about what happened to Neptune. I'm going to ask you about that myself later, Emiya-kun. Let's go." IF says, before turning her back to her companions and heads for the Basilicom. Hikaru and Tia followed suite. However, instead of going straight through the gigantic main doors, IF went for the rather small automatic door just right at the left tip of the gigantic entrance doors. The door opens by itself, revealing a rather spacious elevator within.

 

"Let's ride in. Emiya-kun, choose the top floor." IF instructs, before going inside the elevator, followed by her two companions right after. The elevator door closes as soon as all three are inside. The buttons for the floors are on the wall beside the doors, containing the options for floors 1st until 100th. Remembering IF's instructions, Hikaru presses the button for the 100th floor.

 

As the elevator ascended, the purple colored automatic doors suddenly turned crystal transparent, revealing a good view of Planeptune to the three as they went higher and higher up the floors of the Basilicom. Hikaru wastes no time and takes out his phone the moment almost all of Planeptune's city was in full view, and takes a picture of the city from above.

_7 Minutes later…_

 

Coming out of the elevator, Hikaru looked around for any employee that might disturb them, and as soon as the coast is clear, he whistles to the direction of the elevator, prompting IF, still carrying Neptune, and Tia to come out. Without wasting breath, IF quickly gestures for the other two to follow her, leading them through the long series of halls in the process. After a few minutes worth of walking, the brunette adventurer stops in front of a blue colored door, engraved with the number ' _2017_ ', glowing in a red color, not unlike the color of a bright traffic light at red.

 

"Emiya-kun, hold Neptune for a short bit." IF instructed, causing Hikaru to swiftly head for her back to take Purple Heart. As soon as Hikaru carried the Goddess, IF swiftly takes out one of her phones, unlocks it, and opens an app of some sort. After a few seconds, the red color of the number engraved on the door turns green, with the sound of unlocking being heard from its doorknob.

 

"Okay. Before you give me back Neptune, let me explain first. This is going to be your room in the meantime. While I would like to take you to Histoire for the circumstances with Neptune, I'm sure that all the...rumble you went through made sure you're pretty damn tired. No offense, but I saw how those two automatons beat the crap outta you, so I think you need the rest, Emiya-kun. I'll just have to take you to Histoire tomorrow." IF informs the boy, before making a gesture to give back Neptune. Hikaru quickly obliges, feeling the tiredness of his body as IF-san nailed it. The moment Neptune gets off from his back, however, he quickly asks.

 

"Who is this Histoire you keep mentioning, IF-san?" The boy asks, causing IF to simply shake her head before replying.

 

"She's the oracle of Planeptune's Basilicom. Kind of like Neptune's...assistant, and the second highest ranked person of the nation. Don't worry, I'll inform her of your and Tia's stay here. So don't worry about it and rest up." IF says with a tired smile, as the adventurer herself isn't so resistant from the after-effects of carrying Purple Heart for half a day's worth of time. The Goddess should really cut off some of her carbs, IF thought.

 

Hikaru gives her a nod, before heading for the door and opening it by the knob. However, before finally entering the room, Hikaru turns his attention back to IF.

 

"Thank you for this, IF-san. I guess I'll...see you tomorrow. You too, Tia-chan. Goodnight, everyone!" Hikaru makes a big, childish smile, before closing the door. Meanwhile, Tia was about to follow inside, only to be called out by IF the moment the horned woman nearly touched the doorknob of Hikaru's room.

 

"Ah, Tia-san, wait! You're supposed to sleep in a different room. Follow me, alright?" IF instructed, her surprise from Tia's action still dripping from the brunette's voice, if ever so slightly. Heading to the door beside Hikaru's room door, IF quickly gestures to Tia to follow her. The door of the room also had engravings, now also glowing green, with the numbers ' _2016'_.

 

"Tia-san, here's your room. I still don't know what you were doing at the cave, but I'm sure that it tired you out. So rest up cause I'll be having questions for you and Emiya-kun tomorrow, okay?" IF says with a nod and a soft smile, before heading toward the halls, leaving Tia alone. The horned woman, however, did not enter her room, and instead stared at the door of Hikaru's room.

 

* * *

 

 

After checking the contents of the cabinet, Hikaru plops down on his bed, having changed from his blue and white track-suit to a set of pajamas...with purple flower decorations. Good thing it was only for sleeping purposes, Hikaru thought.

 

He still...cannot believe. All in the span of one day, he...met a goddess, ended up in a parallel world, fought monsters and automatons, survived those fights, met new people, met a real monster girl, and even got to sleep in basically the most important building in the whole nation he's staying in. He was already shocked when he learned of this facts, but, in order not to ruin the experience, he had to go with the flow.

 

But, even with all this, the sinking feeling of homesickness still lingers.

 

What could his parents be doing right now? Hikaru couldn't help but feel regret for doing this to them, even if he didn't have a choice to begin with. If only he was at least allowed to write a letter or make a video of goodbye to them...

 

There's the matter of his friends, as well. Especially, Jinako, Honoka, Umi, and Kotori...He left them too, without a word.

 

Tiredness washed over Hikaru even as he tried to force himself awake, with sleepiness finally creeping in as a result. His consciousness itself is slipping already, and, in the end, he closed his eyes...

 

Looks like not even his guilt can topple his current physical condition, it seems.

 

* * *

 

 

"Phew! Man, gotta tell Compa to cut off some of Neptune's supply of pudding! I felt like my back cracked or something!" IF loudly declared, having placed Purple Heart back in her room. With her second part of business done, she now stands in front of the door of the oracle's office, which was a large, purple colored double door, with ornate an ornately designed door knobs that resembled the handle of a key.

 

IF grabs both with her two hands, and twists them. The sound of something large unlocking echoed through the halls as IF opened the large doors.

 

"Ah, welcome back, IF-san."

 

What greeted IF was a small, fairy-like being, whoa appears to be a fair skinned girl with dull blue eyes and soft blonde hair. Her bangs curl in both directions, with two, longer curled pieces of hair that reach her chest. The rest of her hair is worn up in pigtails held by a white, black, and blue head piece that covers her ears, and a pair of purple and gold ribbons. She wears a loose purple dress with spiked ruffle lining, along with gold accents and a loose green-teal tie. Her shoes are white with a mary-jane style, while her wings are in four pieces and resemble widespread butterfly wings. A smile on her face is brightly visible as she watched the brunette adventurer make a small bow.

 

"I'm back, Histoire-san." IF replied.

 

"So, have you managed to track down Neptune?" Histoire asked, with excitement slightly dripping from her voice, much to IF's confusion. However, the brunette ignored this, and proceeded to report what had transpired on her searching for Neptune, who went missing two days ago after looking around for a dragon's nest that was said to have hidden a magical gate of some sort.

 

The moment IF finished her report, Histoire had a warm smile on her face. Looks like the plan worked after all.

 

"So, last time I remembered, you said something about Neptune searching for Planeptune's champion, for the prevention of the incoming disaster. I didn't see any champion looking or heroic looking guy with her at all. It was just some androgynous tracksuit-wearing weirdo who has some decent skills with a sword, who also picked the strange horned lady. Does this mean Neptune failed in her search?" IF asks, only for Histoire to make a soft sigh, before taking in a deep breath. Looks like this will be difficult. However, even if that's true, the truth...must be spoken.

 

"IF-san, the ' _androgynous weirdo_ ' **_is_** the champion...Also, please call him by name."

 

Silence filled the oracle's room for a few seconds...before a burst of laughter from IF echoed all over the room as well as the halls outside the room. The sound was no different from a from a drunkard imitating a hyena for a span of 1 minute.

 

"AHAHAHAHA! PFFT-HAHAHA! Histoire, your jokes have improved, you know! What book were you reading before I got back? A manual on Saturday night comedy shows?! HAHAHA!" IF says in between breaths, her mind now unable to cope up. If more truths come out of Histoire's mouth right now...

 

"IF-san, I'm not joking at all. Emiya-san is the champion from the other world who'll summon the seven legendary heroes to fight against the being who shall bring forth _'The Fall'_ unto Gameindustri. He's...the one who'll help us save the world." Histoire replied without skiipping a beat.

 

The cold air of doom embraced the brunette as the sound of a crystal breaking echoed in IF's mind before it broke down into a million pieces, in a similar way an overused gaming computer explodes from the overheating.

 

"Oh Godesses, _why that idiot?!_ What the hell is this situation supposed to be, a cliche fantasy light novel?! Does that idiot even qualify?! What in the world is he even going to-" IF's screams echoed throughout the entire top floor of the Basilicom. Meanwhile, being the one in the front lines, Histoire casually clears her throat.

 

"If you're worried about his qualifications, I've taken care of that. I've called over someone who can mend any...disqualifications. In fact, she was the one who volunteered for this job. She is quite giddy about it, to be exact." Histoire explained, prompting a look and a raised eyebrow from IF, who suddenly calmed down.

 

"So, who's this volunteer? And how is she gonna help?" IF questioned, only for her to recieve a small smile from the fairy-like being.

 

"It's MAGES."

 

The moment those words flew out of Histoire's mouth, IF got into her knees, before declaring out of despair...

 

"First, you tell me some weirdo is going to save the world. Second thing you tell me, a _chuunibyo_ IS going to ensure he saves the world?!"

 

Histoire could only sigh and let IF splurge out her shock at the revelations she took in tonight...

 

* * *

 

 

_The next morning..._

 

"OMG! Didn't think she was this forward! To think that someone else actually managed to sleep beside the champion before the goddess did. This isn't how this is supposed to happen!" The high pitched voice of a young girl jolted Hikaru out of his sleep, only for his attempt to wake up made futile by a pair of warm, soft yet strong arms hugged him and held him down back to bed, much to his shock. He quickly opens his eyes, and finds Tia as the primary culprit of holding him down. Surprisingly enough, the horned woman appears asleep, and as Hikaru guessed, unwilling to move.

 

Meanwhile, the purple haired girl, who was screaming earlier, dragged Hikaru swiftly by the feet, showing rather surprising strength for someone her size and stature.

 

"Whoa, what the hell, miss?! My back hurts! No, wait, screw that. Who are you, and what are ya doing in my room?!" Hikaru quickly reprimanded the purple haired little girl, who simply pouted at him.

 

Said girl has light purple hair reaching the below her chin, and has spiky tips. She has a pair of dark violet eyes, and fair skin. Her main clothing consists of a hoodie and a skirt, followed by a light-purple and white knee-socks and white tennis shoes.

 

"Of course I'd come in here. This entire place is my house, after all!" The girl decalres, before suddenly looking like she remembered something. She then proceeds to laugh sheepishly before talking again.

 

"Well, now that I think about it, you never saw me in this form, right? Then let me tell you who I am!" The girl raises her arms, before a pillar of light surrounds her body, causing Hikaru to cover his eyes. When the light subsided, what's left of the light is no longer the same girl, but...

 

"You're...wait, Neptune? Where..." Hikaru looked around, making sure he wasn't tricked or anything, "...say, did you see a weird, purple haired young girl somewhere? She was here right before you..."

 

"Oh, Hikaru-kun...swiftly changing subjects. Oh well. Let me make things simpler." Purple Heart's body is surrounded by a lesser bright pillar of light, revealing...the girl from earlier. Hikaru's eyes almost fell of their sockets.

 

"Wait, you have a human form?!"

 

"I'm the one and only Neptune, Goddess of Planeptune! Now then..." Neptune quickly points to Tia, who's still asleep on Hiakru's bed, "What's the meaning of this, Hikaru-kun?! I know you're possibly the son of a previous Eroge Protagonist and his main heroine, but, you jumped the H-Scenes too early, and with the wrong heroine too! How could you, when the main heroine was unconscious with you the whole day yesterday and you did not even grope her boobs, her butt, or at least her thighs, not even once! I'm really, really disappointed in you, you know!" Neptune ranted, with veins comically popping out all over her face. Meanwhile Hikaru could only stare at her before finally digesting the meaning of the words that came out of the goddess's mouth.

 

"Whoa, whoa, hold your unicorns, goddess! My dad wasn't even an eroge protagonist, nor was my mom someone's main heroine! And why the hell are you even accusing of an H-scene when I didn't do anything to Tia-chan? She's not even naked on bed! And also, there's no way I'd grope an unconscious goddess, or any lady that's knocked out in the 50 meter radius around me, for that matter." Hikaru argued, not wanting one of those ' _It's not what you think it looks like!_ ' scenario from all the harem series he's encountered. Seriously, the problem with those protagonists is that they don't have even just the resemblance of a spine and balls to try and properly explain or argue that they were not doing anything perverted, he thought.

 

"Ho? And here I thought you'd be asleep for a little longer, Neptune." The voice of IF echoed from outside the door, before it opens, revealing the brunette adventurer...with eye-bags and an extremely stressed face, much to the surprise of Hikaru and Neptune.

 

"Whoa, Iffy, you peeped on Hikaru and Tia-chan last night or something?! How long did they do it?!" Neptune suddenly interrogated her friend, much to Hikaru's annoyance.

 

"Damn it, Neptune! I told you, I don't remember Tia-chan going into my room last night. Stop making up stories!" The boy retorted.

 

IF, however, had the look of someone who has seen everything in the universe, and simply stared blankly at the two people in front of her, not giving any crap about their words. Instead, she proceeds to just do what she needs to do.

 

"Neptune, take Emiya-kun to Histoire, and have her explain his circumstances her in Planeptune. I'll go spread word about how we're all doomed, or something." With that, IF closes the door, much to the actual surprise of both Hikaru and Neptune, who noticed something wrong about her attitude, having been used to the brunette's sharp tongue and wits.

 

"...Maybe she was expecting her route to be played and walked in on you and Tia-chan copulating, and it broke her heart? OMG, Iffy wanted the UNLIMITED IF WORKS route to start rather than let me win first! To think that she was as sly as she looked..." Neptune ranted once again, prompting Hikaru to plant his face to the ground before going back up and grabbing Neptune by the shoulder...

 

"That's what you're worried about?! Isn't IF-san your friend?! And also...There. Was. No. H-scene! And there's no way I'd fall for IF-san! I like my heroines being elf girls, complete with blond long hair and amazing body, just like Tuka Luna M*rceau from GATE! And I am most especially not into legal lolis! Even if they're goddesses! I mean, that's just disgusting, not to mention it can get anyone with a p0n0s into jail faster than they can ' _she's legal_ '! If anything, legal lolis are the bane of visual novels and any love stories at all!" Hikaru retorted, causing Neptune to go pale, then blue, go down on her kness, before tears comically fell from her eyes...

 

"WAAAAH! *Sob* WAAAAAH!" Neptune bawled, much to Hikaru's exasparation. Did he go too far? No matter what the case, he has to stop this.

 

"Wa-wait, stop crying!"

 

" **WAAAAAAH!** "

 

" _Damn it...I have no choice!_ " Hikaru took a deep breath. Why in the world does this happen to hi? He asked himself. But, not wanting to get in trouble with the goddess, he makes a decision...

_...To go deeper._

 

"I did say I'm not into legal loli goddesses, but...I don't mind beautiful, tall, nice legged, busty goddesses with hairs in twin braids! Especially the braids! They're, like, every man's fantasy!" Hikaru blurted out, and...successfully stops the crying of the goddess before him. However, he quickly feels the pang of regret as soon as Neptune opened her mouth...

 

"Wait, you mean...you like me, Hikaru-kun?!"

 

"Wha...what?! Well, I, uh..." Hikaru quickly looked away from the goddess, panic suddenly invading his brain. How the hell is he supposed to respond to this, he asked himself. Any wrong move here will bury the nail into the coffin, and he'll just outright bury himself even more deeper than earlier...

 

Hikaru takes a deep breath...

 

"Well...can we wait till the heroine decision chapter or something?" Hikaru replied.

 

Neptune gave him an un-amused glare, filled with an intense ' _I'm totally going to send you flying_ ' look...

 

"I mean...can you wait till the dating events? You can't make me decide when I still don't know you that much, don't I?!"

 

That one made Neptune form a big smile.

 

"Aww, I was expecting you to panic more and dig yourself deeper! I even had to cry, too! Oh well, your panicked face was worth it. I'm totally gonna make you stick to my route after our first date event, Hikaru-kun! Just you wait!" Neptune declared, raising one of her hands with a victory sign, much to Hikaru's relief. So this is how difficult handling a woman can get, Hikaru thought. He suddenly felt great admiration for his father, for some reason. And also, did he just hear Neptune about wanting to troll him more?!

 

"...Weren't you supposed to take me to this Histoire person, Neptune-san?" Hikaru commented, causing Neptune to look at Hikaru and tilt her head, before finally remembering what she was supposed to do.

 

"Oh, right, right! Gotta take you to Histy for the plot exposition! Also, why are you adding honorifics to my name now? Just keep calling me Neptune, okay?" Neptune says, ending her sentence with a wink. Hikaru sighed, thanking his luck for the not-so outrageous request.

 

"Okay then. Neptune, it is. Say, mind giving me a few minutes? I need to wake Tia-chan first." Hikaru says as he heads for the bed, and gently shakes the horned occupant. Meanwhile, Neptune only looked on in curiosity, especially concerning Tia's horns, not having seen anyone having such features before.

 

However, after 10 minute's worth of time and shaking someone wake has passed, Tia had no chance of waking up, and is in fact, now snoring a little louder than before, much to Hikaru's chagrin. Giving up on the attempt and not wanting to be rude to Tia, he simply decides to just do what he needs to do for this morning.

 

"Neptune, wait for me outside, okay? I...need to get changed." Hikaru says, before pointing to the cabinet on the other end of the rather wide room. Neptune's eyes, however, drifted to Tia and the goddess proceeded to point a hand at Hikaru.

 

"You...you're going for that ' _Molesting my sweet, shy onee-chan to wake her up'_ H-scene, aren't you, Hikaru-kun?!"

 

"Piss off and let me change, you perverted goddess!"

 

With that, Neptune found herself right outside Hikaru's room door.

 

* * *

 

 

Hikaru found himself staring at the grandiose double doors of the Basilicom's dining room, admiring the foreign, ornate design that reminded him of ancient Greek architecture. Meanwhile, Tia, who has managed to wake up right after Hikaru was done changing, now joined him and Neptune in heading for the dining room, where both breakfast and Histoire herself awaits.

 

"So, are you ready, Hikaru-kun?" Neptune asked, prompting a rather energetic response from the boy.

 

"I don't know what are you asking me that for, but, I sure as hell am ready for whatever waits beyond that door. I'm sure the bacon, spam, and eggs waiting for me would agree too!" Hikaru says, while pumping a fist out of excitement at the thought of breakfast. Seeing this, Neptune turns her attention to Tia.

 

"How about you, Tia-chan? Are you ready too?" The Goddess asked.

 

"Umu..." Tia muttered as she nodded softly, before turning her attention back to Hikaru, then at the gate.

 

Neptune, seeing that her ' _party_ ' is ready, proceeds to open the double doors of the dining room, both opened at the same time.

 

What greeted Hikaru and Tia is a wide, large, oval shaped table with chairs around it, with someone waiting for them at the other end of the table, sitting. Getting inside the dining room Hikaru got a closer look, and almost had his soul jump off at what was sitting at the said chair...

 

"Holy crap, a real fairy! I mean...Good morning, miss!" Hikaru blurted out, much to Neptune's laughter, and Tia twitching at the word ' _Fairy_ '. Meanwhile, Histoire makes a light, relieved sigh, after seeing Hikaru appearing to be in a comfortable condition. She could only hope the champion's condition stays this way after being told of his duties...

 

"Good morning. Please, have a seat first, and we shall have the introductions as we eat." Histoire declares, with the voice of someone whom Hikaru described as a...kindergarten teacher. By all seriousness, Hikaru felt like the fairy-like being in front of him is simply talking to children, he thought as he took as seat near Histoire. Tia follows suite, swiftly robbing Neptune of the seat next to Hikaru, much to the goddess's chagrin. Neptune ends up sitting next to Histoire herself instead.

 

"Now that we are all seated, allow me to begin the introductions. I am Histoire, the physical manifestation of this world, known as Gameindustri. I am, what you can describe as this planet's will, for this world is my everything, and I am this world's everything. Although, as of right now, I am the acting oracle of Planeptune, due to the goddess's...working habits. Now then, who might you be, young man?" Histoire says, looking Hikaru in the eyes at the same time, with a sincere smile unfading from here face. Hikaru took a deep breath as he introduced himself.

 

"I'm Emiya Hikaru. I'm...an incoming first year student at Homurahara Academy, and am currently living with my parents. I have some experiences with the sword, although my experiences only included friendly competitions...till I arrived here." Hikaru says, while doing his best not to sound rude, or bragging, for that matter. Moreover, what she mean by _"the planet's will"_?

 

"Ah, I see. Then, Neptune has informed you of your...circumstances here, has she not?" Histoire asks, going straight to the point, and making sure that Hikaru is in the best condition to learn about his...duties.

 

Hikaru, in turn, shook his head, "Neptune told about being some sort of champion, although I don't know why or how. She told me to ask you for the reason concerning that one."

 

Histoire felt like palming her face, "I see. Well then, allow me toe explain the reason fore your presence here, Emiya-kun."

 

Clearing her throat, Histoire begins the explanation, "You see, around six months ago, a transmission was detected at our technology division here at the Planeptune Basilicom, a transmission which contained...voices, which sounded frantic and warning, saying something about singularities, and timelines disoriented. At the same time, a letter was found deep beneath the altars of this Basilicom, containing a message from an organization that calls themselves _'Chaldea'_. It said nothing more than to prepare ourselves for an incoming disaster, by the way of summoning 7 Servants, Heroes from Myths and Legends, to protect ourselves from this disaster. And, along with the letter, is a set of scrolls and books pertaining to something called ' _Original Holy Grail War_ ' Procession. Said books told the process of summoning 7 different catalysts from another world, to summon the legendary heroes associated with those catalysts. And true to the letter's warnings, various protals and monsters have appeared around Gameindustri, as well as dungeons containing foreign architecture and more monsters this world is never familliar with. We believe that these newly risen dungeons are the places containing the catalysts. Currently, there are 7 of these foreign dungeons on each of the four continents of Gameindustri."

 

Hikaru stood, a little shocked from all the info he just absorbed. Disaster? Legendary Heroes? Catalysts? What? And why did he notice just now that the name of the planet sounds too ridiculous?

 

"So, where do I fit in?" Hikaru asked out of uncontrolled impulse.

 

"Ah, I'm getting to that part, Emiya-kun. Let me finish." Histoire says, before clearing her throat once more and continuing her explanation, "While it would sound so simple from someone's perspective, as the there is only one summoner required, there is a catch for the usage of the catalysts. As explained by our resident Master Magus, the only one capable of using these catalyst for summoning is another magus, or even just someone with the capability of magic, from the other world where these catalysts came from, due to the nature of their magic being only compatible to the mana of that world's natives. Hence, the reason why you were summoned here, by Neptune. To become this nation's champion, and become the ' _Master_ ' of the seven Heroic Spirits that shall save this world, under the guidance of the Goddess of your represented nation." Histoire explained. Hikaru, however, after hearing the whole thing, was still a little shocked, but it did not stop him from asking some more questions.

 

"Wait, you said ' _this nation's champion_ ' and something about representing Planeptune specifically. Are the other nations having their own champions too?" Hikaru asked, unable to ignore the part about the other nations. Histoire gave a rather...sorrowful sigh, as she answered.

 

"Normally, the goddess of the four nations, as well as me, being the will of the world, set up a meeting concerning these matter. While the nations of Leanbox and Lowee had conceded and were in agreement with Planeptune being the base of operations as well as the champion's represented nation, the goddess of Lastation went into opposition on the agreement, and decided to summon her own champion to make use of the seven catalyst most likely lying in wait in the 7 otherworldly dungeons of her ruled continent. We tried everything we can to make her avert her decision, and join the agreement, but...she didn't back down." Histoire explained, regret slightly dripping from the tone of her voice.

 

It was the same tone Hikaru noticed when his mother would explain her worries to his father, like that time Arturia found out Hikaru disobeyed her rules and went into a brawl with the local bullies, after catching wind of them bullying Jinako and stealing her money at the train station. Arturia's exasperation as she explained her regret of not being more strict with Hikaru to Shirou really reflected Histoire's current state of tone.

 

"Why did she disagree though? Doesn't she realize her planet is in danger or something?" Hikaru asked.

 

"She does, but...at the same time, her competitive tendencies and her pride had overcome that sense of duty. The moment she heard of the matters concerning the champions did not help either." Histoire replied back, somewhat now aware of the next incoming question, and is readying herself for it.

 

"So, as this nation's champion, what am I supposed to do then?" Hikaru asked, much to Histoire's expectation. She takes a deep breath, before finally answering.

 

"You must summon all 7 servants from this continent, strengthen them, and take down all the Servants of Lastation's champion in combat, with no specific method needed. Do anything you can to win. That way, the Goddess of Lastation will back down, and send back her summoned champion. After that...we can focus on the more severe problems, which is, of course, find out in what form is the disaster that will come, and prepare our 7 Servants for its impending arrival." Histoire explained, her voice having gone cold and serious, causing Hikaru to straighten up.

 

"So, will you take upon this duty, become this nation's champion, and save the world, Emiya Hikaru?" Histoire asks, maintaining the cold, stoic manner of speaking she had a little earlier, causing Hikaru to gulp slightly at the contrast between the fairy-like being's cute appearance and her serious demeanor.

 

This decision...this choice...will decide the fate of this world.

 

Hikaru never thought of going through this even when he arrived. In his expectations, his ' _journey_ ' would consist of going in on an adventure while finding his way home, making great memories and souvenirs along the way. The thought of becoming someone who'll save the world...never really crossed his mind.

 

Having been born in an era of peace, Hikaru had simple dreams and wishes. The thought of becoming a hero that saved the world...it had already disappeared along with his other childhood dreams. Even his father had told him that becoming a _'hero'_ who saves everyone, while indeed a beautiful ideal, is never an easy path to thread. At times, it may never even be worth it. But, at the same time, it was also how his father found happiness. The smiles of the people he saved...that is what made all the efforts worthwhile. Hikaru had proclaimed to his father about wanting to become like him, much to Shirou's exaspiration about not wanting his son to follow his path. But, eventually growing up, Hikaru avoided the path of a hero, upon realizing that becoming a _'hero worthy of legends'_ is truly impossible in the era he's born into.

 

For him to be given an opportunity to protect those very same people...Hikaru hesitated. Not out of fear...but out of uncontrolled joy. For him to finally prove his father that he can do it too. That he can achieve his father's dream of saving people...he can finally do it!

 

Hikaru takes a deep breath, in an attempt to quell his own inner excitement. He focuses his eyes onto Histoire's, before finally speaking up.

 

"Yes. I shall accept this duty, and I will fight as Planeptune's Champion. I will do everything I can to save everyone, and give it all I got to fight to save this world!" Hikaru loudly declared, surprising everyone in the room, who had the thought of him backing off at the large responsibility. Except for Tia, who gave little to no shits as she was busy eating her 4th plate of pancakes topped with maple syrup.

 

"Very well...While I am glad, I too, feel regret, for you to have accepted such heavy burden, especially for someone so young. And thus, I promise to help you with everything you need from now on, Champion Emiya." Histoire says with a gentle voice, with a soft smile. Meanwhile, Neptune, unable to hold her hunger anymore longer, decides to jump in.

 

"Okay, now that the protagonist has avoided Bad End #1, let's eat our breakfast already!" Neptune loudly declares, readying her plate, spoon, and fork, and was about to grab the next plate of pancakes...only for Tia to snatch it away like a skilled basketball player making a steal.

 

"Nepu! Stop raiding the pancakes like you raided Hikaru-kun's pants yesterday, Tia-chan!"

 

The dining room fell silent. Histoire's jaw and Hikaru's dropped at the same time. Tia only had a look of confusion and tilts her head at Neptune. IF's maniacal laugh can be heard from the background.

 

"Um, Tia-san...is that true?" Histoire asks the horned woman, who shakes her head, much to Hikaru's relief and Neptune's disappointment. However, Hikaru quickly noticed something...from the way Histoire talked to Tia.

 

"Histoire-san, do you and Tia-chan know each other?" Hikaru asked out his curiousity once more, to which Histoire gave him a small nod as her reply.

 

"I guess you could say that she and I are old friends. She has been around for a long time now. Isn't that right, Tiama-"

 

"Tia...Just Tia." Tia cuts off Histoire, who has a look of understanding and simply nods her head. Right after that, Tia then proceeds to call out to Hikaru.

 

"Little Hikaru...here...eat breakfast...and...no left overs...alright?" Tia says in her usual, lisp tone of voice, the action surprising Hikaru as the horned woman hands him a plate of pancakes. The boy makes no hesitation and accepts the plate of pancakes, causing Tia to smile nostalgically.

 

"Ah, thanks, Tia-chan. I'll make sure to leave no survivors!" Hikaru says, before placing down the plate of pancakes at his side of the table. However, before he could even grab his fork, he feels a familiar warm sensation on top of his head, and finds Tia...petting him, just like how Arturia would when he improves on his training back on his younger days.

 

"Hehehe...good boy..." Tia says with a happy smile, much to Hikaru's embarrassment and shock. Meanwhile, Neptune laughed her heart out while Histoire moved in to make sure her own supply of pancakes isn't depleted...

 

The group eventually had their breakfast, although Histoire took note of making sure pancake is only consumed three times a week.

 

* * *

 

 

After breakfast has been done, Hikaru, together with Histoire and Tia, headed for the Basilicom's main elevator, now currently heading down to the divine altar deep down in the Basilicom, as it was where the Master Magus had set up the summoning gate for the future summoning of the 7 Servants. Histoire thought that she could at least orient Hikaru on his teacher and mentor for the upcoming summonings, as well as have him learn the basics of magic, as instructed by the Master Magus herself. They only have 3 weeks before they begin the raid on the first catalyst dungeon, after all. So while Histoire works on the information regarding the dungeon, the Master Magus could at least make sure the Champion is well prepared.

 

The elevator makes a clinking sound, before stopping and opening its doors, revealing a place similar to where Hikaru found Tia: It was a gigantic, oval area that is as wide as a football stadium, surrounded by waterfalls. A gigantic, purple altar with a statue of Purple Heart is found on one end, while a double door gate is found at the other end. This time, the entrance to the place is smack dab in the middle of the area, where the elevator and its door stood. Beside the elevator stands a large house, resembling something that Hikaru saw as something that belongs to the late 18th century, like those in London at that era.

 

"Ah, welcome back Histoire...Oh, and who is that young man with you? And who is that horned woman who came along?" The voice of a young woman earned Hikaru's attention. He looks for the source, who then appears to be standing right next to the door of the large house. Said person is a young woman, around her late teens, appearing around 4 years older than Hikaru.

 

She has denim blue hair that reaches her waist, indigo eyes and a mole that sits just below her left eye. Her bangs have a slant cut to them. She wears a brownish witch hat with three gears; the top two criss-crossing each other around the crown. She also wears a white overcoat with brown details and a brown dress beneath it with a red tie. She also wears grey thigh-High stockings and black shoes. She also wields a staff that is curved at the top. A cheshire-like smile is present on her face.

 

"Ah, let me introduce you to the Magus who'll mentor you for the course your journey, Emiya-kun." After saying that, Histoire gestures to the blue haired Magus as the fairy-like being spoke, "This is MAGES, the resident Master Magus who volunteered to be your mentor, as well as the one who shall be helping us on the summoning of the Servants. MAGES, this young man here is Emiya Hikaru, the Champion of Planeptune, and the apprentice you'll be teaching till the threat of ' _The Disaster_ ' is over. And...Tia-san here is the occupant of the Altar cave, but was convinced by Emiya-kun to leave the cave, hence why...she will be with him for a while." Histoire finished, earning her a nod from the magus, who then proceeds to turn her attention to Hikaru...

 

...And suddenly places her left hand on the boy's chest, and gropes it, much to Hikaru's shock. The latter quickly swats off MAGES' hand, his face really red from what just happened.

 

"What the bloody hell are you doing?!" Hikaru nearly shouted. Seriously, if some strangely dressed weirdo started groping you, one would be irritated as well, Hikaru thought.

 

"Ah, that hardness of muscle...you are of the male species, alright. I was simply having doubts, my dear apprentice, as your outer appearance, especially your face, didn't not even whisper a hint of testosterone. This is the _Neptunia_ series we are talking about after all, and a male character who isn't a villain, a punching bag, or _pretty damn ugly_ is unheard of. Unless you're a talking fish from the last main game." MAGES bluntly stated, causing a face-palm from Hikaru, a small laugh from Histoire, and a head tilt from Tia.

 

"It seems the two of you are already getting along well. I shall take my leave, since I have to make sure that Neptune did finish the paperwork I left her. I also need to talk to Tia-san about rules concerning the rooms, so I'll be taking her with me. Till then, everyone." Histoire makes a small bow, before finally flying to the elevator, followed by a hesitant Tia, who kept glancing back in worry of Hikaru as she left. Meanwhile, Hikaru is left alone with MAGES, who proceeds to call him out.

 

"Well, then, boy. From this point onwards, you shall refer to me as _Sensei._ Are we clear? Be proud, for you are the first apprentice of the Mad Magician, MAGES.! With a period, mind you." MAGES says, while posing in a theatrical manner, something that reminded Hikaru of...JoJo's Bizarre Adv*ntures.

 

The actions of his sensei, it...

_...It smells of chuunibyo. No, wait, everything about her is chuuni!_

 

"Yes, sensei. I understand. I look forward to learning magic with you!" Hikaru makes a small bow, with MAGES making a satisfied smile at the boy's politeness. Said politeness is actually holding back his desire to blatantly point out the _chuunibyo_ in front of him.

 

"Before we begin, allow to check on your Magic energy, apprentice." With that said, MAGES swiftly moves behind Hikaru, and places a hand on his back, causing a bright green light to shine from where the hand of the magus is making contact.

 

"Apprentice...are you from a family of mages? If yes, what generation are you?" MAGES asked, causing Hikaru to scratch his head before answering.

 

"Well, I don't really know myself. Until recently, I've thought about them as normal people, with normal lives. Until Neptune visited me, I never knew father kept a large arsenal of...mythological weapons beneath the junk house of our home." Hikaru explained, "I brought one of those weapons with me, in fact. It's in the room I'm staying in. So yeah...father may have been a mage, or maybe not. I don't know myself."

 

"...I see." MAGES says, as she reads the result of her scan of the boy's body. While his father being a magus could explain Hikaru having magic energy, it...didn't explain the results of the analysis happening right now, like the large amount of energy he has, and his magic core. Hikaru's words does not imply that he...knew of the _dragon blood_ that flows within him _._ Moreover, despite claiming to be normal, his magic energy is freshly ignited. Also, instead of the usual ' _pot_ ' shaped container of magic energy, Hikaru's have the shape of...veins. No, rather, they looked like computer circuits to MAGES. Is this the difference between the humans of the two worlds? Moreover, those circuits appear that they can be counted, as well.

 

Currently, the magic analysis shows that Hikaru has a total of 150 ' _circuits_ ', with only twenty five active and usable, as the rest are recently overheated, and are still cooling down from sudden awakening and over-usage. Moreover, each circuit has smaller divisions, as each one of them contained 100 smaller branches, which MAGES decides to dub as ' _sub-units_ '.

 

His elemental affinity...Sunlight.

 

What in the world?!

 

No, MAGES shook her head off from the temptations of conclusions. First, she has to make sure...

 

"Sensei, what are these Magic energy you talk about?" Hikaru asked.

 

"I shall explain them to you later. But, for now, I need you to tell me something important." MAGES' voice takes a serious turn as she continues, "What are the names of your parents? The ones before the marriage."

 

Hikaru made a raised eyebrow at the question. Is it related to his father?

 

"Well, my father's name is Emiya Shirou. My mother, before marriage, was named Arturia Pendragon."

 

MAGES' soul almost jumped out her body. Pendragon?! As in, those Pendragons?! MAGES shook her head. If her information gained from the strange, foreign books are correct, only the legendary hero and king named Arthur Pendragon received dragon blood, albeit artificially. If anything, the only ones from his bloodline gaining the same naturally composed, large amount of dragon blood like Hikaru would be Arthur's descendants. Hikaru himself may be one from a long, long line, the magus thought. Whatever the case, her apprentice's natural biological make-up makes him a seemingly natural candidate for becoming a magus, which is why his normality and lack of knowledge concerning magic baffles MAGES. If his father truly is a magus, why would he waste his son's potential?

 

At least, MAGES now knows the reason for Hikaru's large energy capacity _and_ his natural magic core. Dragon blood is a powerful magic strengthening attribute, after all.

 

It might be possible that his mother had thick dragon blood in her as well, and her 9 months of carrying Hikaru to term might have allowed the dragon blood embedded into her own blood to mutate and affect the boy's growth and development in the womb.

 

"Oh, I see. Forgive my…nosy tendencies. I do have a bad habit of getting all sorts of trivial information about my students after all." MAGES comments, before removing her hand from Hikaru's back. Taking a deep breath, MAGES suddenly teleports right in front of Hikaru in a flash of blue light. The magus has a satisfied look on her face as she decides to tell of what she discovered…partly.

 

"You currently have a total of 150 active magic circuits, with a sub-unit of 100 each. As of right now, however, due to the forced awakening of your...circuits due to whatever you may have done before arriving here, you can currently utilize only 25 out of 150, as the other 125 are in cooldown." MAGES explained, leaving out the part of the dragon blood and the magic core, for learning reasons. Until Hikaru can prove himself worthy of using those abilities, and learning more of magic, he must not know all of his cards.

 

"I don't really understand that, but, does that mean I can learn and use magic, sensei?" Hikaru asked, albeit a little excited. MAGES simply gave him a small nod, before replying.

 

"It means that you have a lot of...tunnel ways to release your magic energy, apprentice. And yes, you can use magic. However, due to the restraints in time, we will have to go over the basic fundamentals of magic, _and_ move over to application of knowledge as fast as we can. First, we shall have you learn basic terms, and as well as teach you how to activate and control your magic energy. I do not know of the structure and logic of magic from your world, but, whatever works here might be applicable to you as well." MAGES explained, causing Hikaru to tilt his head. Now that he thought about it, he is from another world, and the way magic works in his world might be an entirely different animal than the one he's currently in.

 

"Then...please start, sensei!" Hikaru says, before making a small bow.

 

"Follow me then, apprentice. The workshop is in this house, after all. It will be like...our very own school. So, please pay attention." With that, MAGES gestures to Hikaru with a...strange pose, once again. Hikaru swore he saw letters fly as his teacher posed and opened the door, with the letters forming words that reflect the sound effects of...whatever MAGES is doing. Just like JoJo's Biz*rre Adventures.

 

The only thing lacking right now would be his magic teacher sparkling fabulously with each pose she makes, Hikaru thought as he follows his teacher inside of the large, western house...

 

What greeted him inside...was pretty nostalgic to his eyes. What he found is basically what he'd dub as a mage's workshop in RPG's, with all the books, magic circle in the floor, the study table with magical looking artifacts on it, a set of stairs leading to the second floor where the mage's bedroom might be found, and a little armory on one side of the room containing the different staffs and magic equipment for the mage.

 

"Wow...so this is a real-life mage workshop..." Hikaru commented, causing MAGES to make a chuckle.

 

"Now, now, apprentice. We might be teacher and student, but I'm still a girl, you know. It is quite embarrassing for someone to stare this intently in what would count as my room." MAGES declared, causing her apprentice to look at her...with a blank look, much to her surprise.

 

"...Okay." Was Hikaru's plain reply. If it wasn't for the fact that MAGES would pose like a JoJo on each sentence she blurts out, Hikaru felt he would've fell for the harem protagonist baiting line. Meanwhile, MAGES feels a little disappointed about her lack of moe points.

 

"A-ahem. Take a seat on the floor, apprentice. I shall now begin discussing the basics of magic, and I want you to listen carefully, and take notes if need be." MAGES says, before taking out a small notebook and pen, and passes to Hikaru, who takes them, sits on the floor, and focuses intently on MAGES.

 

"First and foremost, what is magic? The closest answer is and shall always be that it is a " _reenactment_ " of the supernatural, or miracles, which is not done by the physical and mental efforts of man known as science. Magic requires the physical, mental, _and_ spiritual efforts of man to work, and one cannot work with even just one of the three missing. And..." MAGES begins her lecture, whilst Hikaru listened carefully, while taking notes, of course.

 

A day later, they began the lessons on how to draw, activate, and control magic energy, which MAGES dubs as mana.

 

It was by then that Hikaru learned his mental trigger for his magic, which is the sound of a large church tower bell ringing with full force once, and his _aria,_ the ' _trigger word_ ' for his magic circuits to start up and fill up with mana ready for casting.

 

After two days of practicing drawing, activation, and control of mana, MAGES announces that they shall now move onto the basic support magic spells...

 

All through the lessons, Hikaru learned a lot of things, and he did with enthusiasm. He _is_ learning magic, after all, something that he has always dreamed of as a child.

 

And thus, began the first week of magic class for Emiya Hikaru...

 

* * *

 

 

_On the sixth day of the fourth week and 2nd month of the magic class, inside MAGES' workshop..._

 

"Very good. It seems that the short lessons and crash course on reinforcement and healing spells have broke through. Good job on making your first surviving that 50 meter fall, apprentice." MAGES declared, clapping her hands rather proudly for her apprentice's achievement, and his fast learning speed.

 

Meanwhile, Hikaru is un-amused.

 

"Of course, it would work. I mean, why the bloody hell wouldn't it when you _chucked me off straight from a helicopter straight into the sea!_ I saw my life flash before my eyes, damn it! My body still stings, too, since yesterday!" Hikaru complained, only for MAGES to make a sigh.

 

"But that's the point. To make sure you know how reinforcement and healing magic are supposed to work and what they are supposed to be used for as soon as possible...through a _crash course._ Get it, apprentice?" MAGES says with a smirk, earning her a groan from her apprentice. After finishing that line, MAGES proceeds to take out a stack of paper with an insignia on it, which glows with a white light.

 

"You still remember the basics on activating, drawing, and control, right?" MAGES asked, earning her a nod from Hikaru.

 

"Then, I want you to hold a piece of this paper, draw out your mana, and infuse it with the paper I gave you. No, not in the reinforcement method. Just mix your mana with the item, like how you would when you dip an entire paper into a bucket of water." MAGES explained, giving a single piece of paper to Hikaru, who grabs one with both hands.

 

"What are these for anyway, sensei?" The apprentice asked, earning him a small nod from the magus, who proceeds to grab her own piece of the strange paper, before infusing it with her mana. In a split second, one corner of the paper lit up in fire, one turned into ice, one got fried with lightning, and the last corner got shredded by small blades of wind, while the very center of the paper disappeared suddenly. Hikaru's eyes showed surprise, earning him a proud smirk from MAGES, who proceeds to explain.

 

"This paper is used to detect and show a magus's elemental affinity by filtering it straight from freshly taken mana from a caster. The method done by the magic on the paper is something similar to a blood testing to determine blood type, or even DNA test. As you can see, I have the affinity of five different elements, although three of them are not of the basic five elements I told you about on the first week's discussion. However, we are here for your affinity, is it not?" MAGES then points out a finger to Hikaru, "You did not forget your _aria_ , did you not? Then, start now." MAGES instructed, to which Hikaru quickly obeyed. Normally, this method is not needed as MAGES had already done an analysis...if Hikaru's elemental affinity was something common, that is.

_Sunlight..._ MAGES had never encountered an elemental affinity like that before. Hence, the reason why she seeks how it truly works...by having it tested out on a material object that can draw it out without having Hikaru learn the slightly difficult elemental based spells, as there might not even be any existing for his element. There's also the issue of his Origin. MAGES made a sigh as she still doesn't have a way of determining those two things completely...

 

"Ignition, On." The sound of a church tower bell rung in Hikaru's head, as he feels the ignition of the 25 circuits on his back. Mana ' _bursts_ ' out of them, causing a surge of magical energy around the room, and covered the entirety of his body in the form of golden light dancing around like flames, giving him the feeling of strengthening himself several times over, even without reinforcement. He quickly manipulates part of it to the paper in his hands, feeling slight heat from the object as his mana entered it. In a split second...

 

...The entire paper glows with a golden light, lighting up the whole room. No, rather, it was as if the paper became a miniature sun and made everything unnecessarily brighter.

 

"Apprentice, feel free to stop anytime now. I did not bring my sun glasses today." MAGES instructs, while covering her eyes with her witch hat, meanwhile, Hikaru, who took the full brunt of his own light show, manages to draw back his mana even through the dizziness he's experiencing, his sight having taken the flash of light like a flash bang was ignited right in front of his face. In a split second, the light is gone.

 

"It seems that your element literally _is_ sunlight. It will be hard to formulate spells, much less find you a spell from other elements that it can borrow from." MAGES declares, while taking the piece of magical paper from Hikaru, who has just recovered from dizziness.

 

"Hmm…How about my reinforcement and healing spells? Is there a way I can utilize my Element into them?" Hikaru asks as MAGES goes to her study table, and takes out a book, entitled _'Vinheim School's Basic Offensive Spells'._ The magus hands the book to Hikaru, who takes on a childish smile as he read the english written title of the book.

 

"Yes, it might be possible, as healing spells and reinforcement do no rely on a specific element. Also, now that you know of the basic support spells, a bit of non-elemental offensive spells would do well, for a beginner magus like yourself. For today, I want you to learn on how to cast those offensive spells. Starting tomorrow, and for this whole week, we shall spent the time outside practicing your spells in actual battle with monsters, both offensive and the support. We can't have you join us in the raid of the catalyst dungeons unprepared, after all." MAGES instructs, emphasizing the last part. For him to lead the band of seven servants, he himself must not be a burden, and must know how to fight alongside them, especially at the the day where ' _The Disaster_ ' shall arrive. There's also the trust to be gained from these Servants, who are legendary heroes themselves, and that trust might be something related if their master is truly reliable as their back support in battle, for what legendary hero brings nothing but burden to the battle field?

 

In fact, from what Histoire told MAGES herself, these catalyst dungeons might be an opening trial to test the Master's worth, and if the Master truly is capable and deserving of the Servant's loyalty.

 

Speaking of strength, MAGES remembered something…

 

"Apprentice, concerning your…trigger for your start-up, is there truly no difference in your body between the time the aria is activated and when it is not?" MAGES asks, causing Hikaru to think back on the times he's activated his _circuits_ for spell casting. Now that he thought about he, he…does feel more confident, hot blooded, and stronger while the Ignition is active, but the apprentice doubted that it involved physical strength as well. For all he knows, it might just be the spell making his heart beat faster and simply turning his balls into steel.

 

In short, his _Ignition_ might just be boosting his ego other than allowing spell casting, and isn't really physically improving him while activated.

 

But then again, he never really took a physical strength test while his ignition state was activated. There's also the issue of getting tired after two usages of the aforementioned ignition, meaning that the current number of circuits he can use can't handle the strain of more than two tries, and each try can last for only 5 minutes as well.

 

He only used ignition once today, so he still has one more _'try'_ left, so…a physical test might be possible, Hikaru thought.

 

"Say, sensei, how about a physical strength test? We haven't had one to test my ignition's effects on my body, right?" Hikaru suggested. MAGES had a look of remembering something as she digested Hikaru's words, and remembers the plans she had for the said occasion. Said plans were never initiated as she was busy focusing on her apprentice's magic aptitude and learning.

 

"Very well. Take out your weapon. Here's your target." MAGES suddenly announces, before raising her staff. A glyph appears on the area outside the workshop, and from it, an ice statue of an armored knight, with its shield raised, drops onto the ground. Hikaru stared at awe, before remembering he left his weapon back at his room.

 

"Uh, sensei, I…kinda left my sword upstairs, so can you give me a few minutes-"

 

"No need. Here." MAGES cuts off Hikaru, before heading for her the small armory of her workshop, opens the cabinet, and takes out a normal, plain looking long sword. It has a red handle, a silver colored guard and blade. The magus passes it to Hikaru, who gives her a nod and an excited face.

 

"Okay, please follow me outside, sensei!" The apprentice says before heading outside, which MAGES follows after. Once they were outside, Hikaru takes up a combat stance, before charging forward and landing an overhead slash on the shield of the ice statue knight. Said attack bounced off without even making a dent on the ice shield. Hikaru backs off with a quick step, having treated the practice like an actual practice battle.

 

"Now, activate ignition state." MAGES declares, earning a nod of affirmation from Hikaru.

 

"Ignition, On!" Hikaru shouted, causing the sound of church tower bell to ring in his head once more, this time at full force. Mana bursts out of his circuits once more, enveloping the rest of his body and his borrowed sword in the form of a golden light that danced around like flames. Hikaru charges at the statue again, executing a diagonal slash powered by his charge…

 

The swing cuts both the shield and the statue itself cleanly, and Hikaru, not really expecting it to happen and was expecting to bounce back from the supposed toughness of the statue, lost his balance and rolled on the floor disgracefully and comically while cursing as it occured, much to MAGES' amusement. However, MAGES is now sure of one thing…

 

That Hikaru's _ignition_ really does affect his physical state, as well as any items he has on hand, since the long sword MAGES lent him was already pretty damn rusty and would have broken in half at the second swing. It appears that the apprentice's magic start up is more of a special magic trait than a normal _magic activation_. A unique passive ability, which deserves a proper name, MAGES thought as she approached her apprentice, who can barely stand from the tiredness of using his _ignition_ a second time for the day.

 

The magus suddenly had a look of delight as she decides on what she should name the ability…

 

"Good work on the experiment, apprentice. Your ignition…we shall refer to it as _Mana Ignition_ from this point on. For it is more of a special magic trait you possess, than just a simple start-up verse." MAGES declared, much to Hikaru's relief. No, the fact that he was thankful for bring helped up is just part of it. The real reason for the relief he feels is the fact that his teacher did not give birth to magnificently _chuunibyo_ nickname for his…special magic trait.

 

"Phew…I'm beat. Can I rest for the day, sensei? I'm not sure I can keep casting after my second use." Hikaru says, to which MAGES gave him a simple nod. The latter teleports into the work shop, before teleporting back outside and giving Hikaru the book of offensive spells MAGES gave earlier.

 

"Feel free to rest, apprentice. Do remember to read that book I gave you, learn its casting process, and come back here tomorrow, do you understand?" The magus instructs as Hikaru gave a small bow and left for the elevator. Coming back to the work shop, MAGES head for the area where her favorite couch was situated, and proceeds to rest herself.

 

"Haa…I only hope things will be just as smooth during the raids, and the Servant summonings. I can't imagine having to handle an uncooperative or a rouge Servant with ulterior motives…" MAGES says to herself, imagining the possibilities of future events. Moreover, her current apprentice…had an abnormal learning speed. Activation, drawing, and control of mana would take at least an entire month's time to be properly done, whilst the apprentice managed to smoothen the flow of mana from onto and out of his body smoothly after two days of whole day practice. Not to mention the quick learning of spells he did. While he didn't really master them, he managed to be able to use them more effectively than any other newbie would when given the same time limit he has. There's also his discovery of his _Mana Ignition_ and his _aria in_ such a short time, not to mention the recently discovered physical effects of his _Mana Ignition,_ and his magic-centric biological make-up _…_

 

It was as if…he was meant to be a magus.

 

And thus, MAGES' confusion as to why Hikaru's might-be-a-magus father didn't raise the boy as one. So much potential, so many possibilities…left to rot in a normal life. For a magus like MAGES, it was the same as watching someone flaunt their ultimately high-spec gaming PC around, only for them to use it for office work and documental editing.

 

It was…wrong.

 

"Haah…What could be that other world be like…for someone like that apprentice of mine to be deprived of his potential…Are there also schools of magic there? If so, why isn't my apprentice in one? Just what…are the magus over there in that world, are like?…ZZZZZZ…" MAGES, not wanting to bother her own sleep, decides to just close her eyes and let her mind rest. For now, with no way to the other world, she could just…imagine what it's like over there…

 

* * *

 

 

"I'm back!" Hikaru announced, entering the dining room of the Basilicom's top floor. Already sitting around the table and eating are Histoire, Neptune, IF, Compa, and Tia. All of them greeted him as he sat down.

 

"Welcome back, Hikaru-kun. Please, join us for lunch." Histoire greeted.

 

"Ah, Emiya-san, lunch is ready! Eat a lot today too, okay?" Greeted Compa, the resident nurse. She has a light creamy pink hair that is somewhat long and curls along the edges worn with a black headband with a C patched on the side. Her eyes match her hair color. She wears a tan-white wool styled tank top with big neck and un-attached sleeves and matching styled boots, but with small ribbons/fuzzy balls at the top. Compa also wears a red plaid skirt, a black choker with a small heart on it, black-brown kneesocks with light pink heart cut frills, and often carries a black hip purse, and heart shaped buttons. Like her headband, both her purse and the heart on the choker has a C logo

 

Hikaru met her on the third day of his training, as he went to the Basilicom's clinic to get some vitamin C medicines that MAGES requested. It was there that he met Compa, who as cleaning and patching up the wound of a maintenance employee who fell from a climbing ladder, and got a large would on the arms and legs as a result.

 

Compared to the rest of the people he met so far, with the exception of Histoire, Compa is…really normal. And really moe, too. Her demeanor reminded Hikaru of Matou Sakura, another family friend who visits the house almost regularly and even cooks for everyone. Hikaru really never thought of _Matou-san_ as moe, though. She feels like a the _gentle onee-chan_ sort of person…

 

"Little Hikaru…we have…Cordon Bleu…" Tia, with a smile, says in her trademark lisp voice that only Hikaru can hear, before handling him a plate full of Cordon Bleu's, an amount that can feed an entire class, much to Hikaru's surprise and happiness, "Here…reserved some…for you…" Tia finished, her low volume manner of speaking not changing.

 

"Thanks, Tia-chan." Hikaru says, before accepting the plate of Cordon Bleu's.

 

"Well, well, looks like someone came back whole from that drop at the sea…" IF started, giving a teasing look to Hikaru, who gave a raised eyebrow. IF just continues, "So, how was the sky diving at sea yesterday, Emiya-kun? Did you see any mermaids?"

 

"I didn't see any mermaids. I saw angels carrying a ' _Welcome to heaven_ ' banner." Hikaru retorted, much to IF's amused smirk. In Hikaru's eyes, it was…as if he was dealing with another Tohsaka Rin. Because, as he spent time in the Basilicom, he himself had been the target of IF's teasing and witty repartee.

 

All of which sounded so damn similar to Hikaru's family friend. IF's voice does not really help matters either. It was as if _Tohsaka-san_ followed him into the parallel world to ensure his daily dose of suffering by teasing and critical comebacks would never end, no matter where he runs.

 

Hanging out with IF was starting to get scary, Hikaru thought. He could only imagine IF ripping her face off, revealing Tohsaka Rin inside all along.

 

"But, weren't angels supposed to be in air instead of water, Hikaru-kun?" Neptune chimed in.

 

"I saw them in a reflection on the water, okay?" Hikaru replied, before taking a look at the different foods on the table. Lots of meat based dishes, as well as round, cup sized tupper wares containing _Frozen Brazo de Mercedes._

 

"Well, well, somebody went all out in the preparations. Was it Compa-san who prepared all this?" Hikaru asked, causing the resident nurse to nod proudly.

 

"Yep, she did! She's the best cook ever! You should totally _taste her puddings_ too, Hikaru-kun! They're so sweet, soft, and bouncy, you'll be in heaven in seconds!" Neptune declared without any hesitation, nor care in the world, for that matter, resulting in the reddening of Compa's face, IF's smirk getting bigger, Histoire's sweat drop, and Hikaru's exasperation.

 

"Only when she cooks some pudding, then. I'm more of a black sambo person, though. Also, Compa-san, you should meet father! His cooking is pretty damn good, too!" Hikaru replied, believing himself to have avoided a bullet and wanted to endorse his father's cooking…to the residents of another world.

 

"Damn it, and here I thought he digs himself deeper and give me something to grill him with…oh well." IF says aloud, much to Hikaru's surprise.

 

"Damn it, and here I thought I can have black mail material over Hikaru-kun! I even readied my recorder too!" Neptune added.

 

"Damn it…his brain…worked…No fun at all…" Tia chimed in, this time actually shocking Hikaru, who didn't expect even a drop of sadism out of Tia's gentle demeanor.

 

"Everyone, your disgusting thoughts are leaking!" Hikaru retorted aloud. The three suspects looked at him…then returned their attention to their food as they kept on making more plans to embarrass Hikaru…without giving a single care that their target is right beside them, much to Hikaru's annoyance.

 

"Now, everyone, please don't let your food get cold! The cook gets sad every time food is wasted, you know?" Compa called out to the bantering four, who all replied " _Yes, Compa-chan!_ " after seeing the rather adorable look of forced anger on Compa's face.

 

Histoire watched simply as she kept on eating, enjoying the peace while it still lasted…

 

* * *

 

 

_On the last day of the 2nd month, the day before the raid of the first catalyst dungeon._

 

"So, do you think I am ready for tomorrow, sensei?" Hikaru asked the blue haired magus, who's currently sorting through her items in the holograph menu of her item disk, making sure to check her supply of mana potions and healing potions are still high enough.

 

"Yes, I do believe you're ready to go dungeon raiding…with a party on your side, of course. You're still too green for a solo raid, apprentice." MAGES reminded Hikaru, who twitched as he just got found out spot on. The latter scratched his head while looking away.

 

"I didn't say anything about a solo raid or any of the sort." Hikaru replied.

 

"I see. Have you gotten used to your item disk, yet?" MAGES asked her apprentice, to which he nodded and took out a blue colored item disk, with a red button in the middle. Two button, one red and one light blue, were situated at an edge of the disk.

 

"Yeah, I kinda am. Had to ask the store clerk to set up shortcut buttons for the healing potion and mana potion, though. I really don't want to scramble around my item menu in case of an emergency." Hikaru explained. While having a disk with hammer-space and an interact-able menu is a good advantage, it will still be dangerous to even have to open the main menu of the disk and go through the different sections for each different items. As such, Hikaru decided that some shortcuts are needed.

 

"Good thinking." MAGES declared, before closing the menu of her own item disk, and turning attention to Hikaru, "We shall head for the last battle plan meeting at Histoire's office. Follow me, my apprentice, for it is time for the Mad Magician and her protege to make her appearance!" MAGES shouted out loud, whilst posing with letters magically forming around her at the same time, signifying more of the sound effects she makes. However, the moment she saw her apprentice stare at her blankly, she proceeds to give him a reprimanding look.

 

"Uh, lead the way?" Hikaru says sheepishly, only for MAGES to shake her head fervently.

 

"Boy, you are my apprentice, of the Mad Magician MAGES.! Why aren't you posing?! Won't you show pride as the protege of one of the best magus out there?!"

 

"Hell no! No way I'm doing those ridiculous poses of yours! And I'm not wasting mana for some fabulous special effects, either!"

 

MAGES sighed, as it seems converting someone into her kind appears to be difficult…

 

* * *

 

 

The meeting room had a tense atmosphere, one that is no different from a war council room. It also just happened that Neptune is asleep back in her room from all the gaming she had, much to Histoire's annoyance.

 

"Alright, everyone, we shall now start the last meeting for the raid of the first catalyst dungeon. IF-san, can you tell us of what you found in your scouting runs?" Histoire started, causing IF to take out a camera and presses buttons on it, causing it to release a holograph of a set of pictures, from what appears to be a familiar place to Hikaru.

 

"That's…a Shinto Temple. And looks quite abandoned too." Hikaru commented at the state of the temple visible from the picture. There are leaves all over, the stairs are nearly filled to the brim with weed, and the wood from one of the buildings before the stairs appears to have been rotten for a long time. It was no different from a setting of a horror game.

 

"That's not the only thing I found, actually. Here, check out this one." IF declared as she proceeds to swipe the holograph, transferring the gallery from number 1 to number 2.

 

Collective gasps resounded through the room as the pictures show a gigantic white snake, appearing to be at least 30 feet long, has glowing, demonic yellow eyes, and seems to breath blue colored flames. Hikaru gulped at the fact that the monster might be an unavoidable obstacle in the way to the summon catalyst he's supposed to look for.

 

"There were no random encounters around, at all. Only this over-sized, fire breathing dragon wannabee. Also, did you say you recognize the place, Emiya-kun?" IF asked, earning her a nod from the boy.

 

"It's a Shinto Temple. It's…kind of like a budget Basilicom. People go there to worship the gods and goddesses that reside there, and there are priests and priestesses to help with the people's prayer." Hikaru explained. Despite his father having a good friend on the nearby temple in Fuyuki, he never really knows much of the specifics as he never really went there to pray anyway.

 

"I see…" Histoire replied with a saddened voice. What could have happened to the deities that reside there for their own variation of the Basilicom to end up so…rotten and abandoned?

 

"Have you found where the catalyst might be kept?" MAGES asked IF, who shook her head firmly, making the former sigh, "And I was hoping we could avoid combat, considering the size of that thing." MAGES commented, rearranging her witch hat.

 

"Not to sound arrogant here, but, even long before these catalyst dungeons arrived, we've already taken down even ancient dragons for a while now. If we do this carefully, we can and will win this, you know?" IF reassured, wanting to lift the morale. The blue haired magus simply smirked at IF.

 

"That is because we are in a party, and we have a hard hitting goddess with us. However, while we still have to take her with us on the raid as well, doesn't mean we won't have a part to play. Shall we discuss battle plans?" MAGES offered, to which IF soundly nodded.

 

"It's the usual boss tactic, with only minimal changes. Me and Neptune are the front-liners, and are the first to engage the enemy, as well as keep his attention at bay while landing as much blows as possible. MAGES will take the place of the main magic hitter, with Emiya-kun making sure she has enough space and time to cast her spells. Compa will hide somewhere in the back for healing, as usual. Any questions?" IF asked, with the group shaking their heads as an answer.

 

"Good. Let us rest up, then. The first step to save the world begins tomorrow, and we must be in our best forms. Good night, everyone." Histoire announced, earning her a " _goodnight_ " from everyone else in the room as well, before they left for their respective rooms.

 

* * *

 

 

Hikaru laid down on his bed, looking at the ceiling as he tried to rest himself.

 

Despite having trained a lot during the last 2 months weeks, and even went on actual battles with monsters in the process, he still couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness that lingers in him. A gignatic, fire breathing snake…that's not something even a goblin or an orc will ever compare to.

 

But, at the same time, the frustration of not being a part of the front-liners also shook him. Not out of pride, and the position of being the mage's guard is actually useful in a fight, but…he still felt useless.

 

"I hope that…I can fight like a hero too. Rather...I must make sure I can!"

 

Those words lingered in Hikaru's mind even as he fell asleep…

 

* * *

 

 

The party of five, containing Hikaru, Neptune, IF, Compa, and MAGES stood at the entrance of the cave that leads to the rather dark and abandoned shinto temple. Formerly, there was only a small hill of flowers on where the cave once stood, solidifying the existence of the catalyst dungeon as a foreign element to the world.

 

"So, are you all ready?!" Neptune declared with energy. The rest of the party gave energetic nods with a smile, much to her delight.

 

"Damn right I am! Our story of saving the world begins here…Let's give that gigantic snake a fight that will forever be remembered as the beginning of a legend! Let's go!" Hikaru says as he raised _Caliburn_ in an attempt to try and raise more moral.

 

While they were a little surprised, this didn't stop the party from feeling heated up and raising their weapons as well, before shouting " _Hell yeah!_ ".

 

The party goes into the cave…and after a few minutes, the party finds themselves walking in a wilderness in the middle of the night, with groups of flowers known as _red dahlia_ glowing bright red, emanating the feeling of rage and betrayal with its reddish light. It was as if they entered a different dimension the moment they entered the cave.

 

The party simply moves forward…

 

After walking for 10 minutes straight, they find themselves between two old, rotten wood buildings, which are the same ones shown in IF's pictures. Hikaru felt a mix of nervousness and excitement start boiling in his chest as he looked up the set of stairs, and the entire place looking like something straight out of Fatal Fr*me not really helping matters.

 

"Alright, everyone, we're at the entrance now. Ready all your equipments!"

 

At IF's call, the party unleashes their weapons, readied at their hands. With that, they proceeded to walk the set of stairs, careful enough just in case the gigantic snake might jump onto them from above…

_After thirty steps…_

 

"Iffy, are we there yet?" Neptune asked.

 

"We nearly are. Keep walking." IF replied.

_After 50 steps…_

 

"Are your sure this was the right temple, Iffy?" Compa asked, earning her a small nod from IF.

 

"YES. We're half-way there, so just walk, alright?" The brunette adventurer said.

_After 85 steps…_

 

"Oh, apprentice, your master's legs are bashed like a drunkard from a party of three days straight! Please carry her on piggy back!" MAGES chimed in, much to the veins that suddenly started plopping on Hikaru's forehead.

 

"Hell no!" Was the apprentice's reply.

_After the 100th and final step…_

 

"Hah…hah…hah…OH MY GAWD, are all the Basilicoms in your world without elevators, Hikaru-kun?!" Neptune complained as she quickly dropped on her knees after all the climbing, along with MAGES, who's also almost out of breath. The two looked they had a rough night with a bunch of orcs on ecstasy.

 

"I did say Shinto Temples are like budget Basilicoms. We have no elevators, only stairs and efforts. Step up your exercise game, Neptune." Hikaru commented with a teasing smirk, much to Neptune's pouting face. Meanwhile, IF and Compa are now looking around, and are high on alert.

 

"Everyone, we're gonna head for the altar courtyard, where our big, scaly pet waits. Inform me when you've caught your breath and ready to transform, Neptune." IF commented, to which Neptune gave an affirmative nod, while still huffing.

 

By exactly 10 minutes of rest, the party is now heated up once again, and with conviction, fighting spirit, and weapon in hand, they go forward towards the gate of the temple's altar courtyard, where the biggest obstacle awaits…

 

IF swiftly heads for one side of the gate's double doors, while Hikaru headed for the other door, before the both of them glanced at Neptune, as the signal for her to transform. The goddess quickly understands, and raises a hand as a purple pillar of light erupted around her. The pillar of light dissipates, leaving Purple Heart in place of the pre-teen version of the goddess.

 

"On the count of three…One, two…" On Purple Heart's words, Hikaru and IF got ready to open the door…

 

"…Three."

 

The gate is pushed open, causing a blast of wind from inside. Purple Heart savors the cold touch of the air with a smile on her face, as if an expectation of hers was accomplished.

 

"Ahh…the cold air of a boss battle's omen. Is this how intense boss fights are in the other world?" Purple commented, while looking at Hikaru, who simply shook his head at those words.

 

"Nope. The current era is really peaceful. The time where people went on adventures like ours were, like, at least a hundred thousands of years ago in my world." Hikaru explained, earning him a surprised look from the goddess.

 

"I see." Purple Heart declared, before moving on the front of the group, "Let's proceed, everyone!"

 

The party rushes into the gate, arriving at the insides of the courtyard…

 

The moon shines brightly from the night sky, its light making a beautiful reflection on the skin of the gigantic snake who was in wait. As soon as it heard the party's footsteps inside the courtyard, the giant reptile twists its head to look at the party members.

 

Its glowing yellow eyes gave an unnerving air to the party, but it was not enough to even put a dent onto their resolve. In their minds and hearts, there is a monster that they must take down in front of them. And thus, their own stares did not falter against the beast's own.

 

Seeing the unshaken eyes of the humans before its own sight, the giant white snake bellowed out some azure flames in anger, before finally rearranging its body and charged towards the party.

 

"Everyone, dodge!" IF shouted, causing everyone to roll to the side as soon as the snake executed a biting charge, the party members barely dodging the fast attack. Without wasting time, IF, Hikaru, and Purple Heart charged towards the monster, and attempted to land multiple hits with their respective weapons. However, only a pair of hits were landed, as the giant snake reacted fast, and the skin felt like it had oil all over. The creature backs off a few meters away from the party, and cautiously starts locking its sights onto them.

 

"Alright, now, execute the planned formation!" Purple Heart roared, as she and IF charged towards the monster, while Hikaru moves in a defensive position in front of MAGES as she starts the chants for her spells, indicated by the ice blue glyph that danced around her as she chanted the casting verses.

 

The giant snake swiftly weaved through the attacks of IF and Purple Heart, its oily and tough skin showing only a few, shallow cuts from the attacks. However, this only caused a smirk on the brunette adventurer's as she draws back one of her katars, slips a hand onto her pockets, and quickly takes out a grenade. Purple Heart sees this, and decides to take the giant snake's attention. The goddess makes a risky maneuver by diving into the area near the lower neck and landing a hit-and-run attack, landing a slightly deeper wound than before, and earning her the snake's ire and attention.

 

The giant creature then attempts multiple high speed, wide open mouth bites at the goddess, which she then dodged multiple times in mid-air. In a split second, an explosion of flames scorched the back of the snake's head, thanks to IF's thrown incendiary grenade. As soon as the snake turns its attention to the brunette adventurer, a shout is heard.

 

" _Conflagration Dust!_ " MAGES casts the name of the spell, its casting circle around here surging and exploding into flames. Hikaru, thanks to his training, could feel the large amount of mana burned through the spell casting. To be able to handle this amount and not screw up the casting...MAGES truly is a master magus. Hikaru couldn't even do reinforcement without screwing up in the last minute and send himself flying should he lose focus.

 

IF ran away from the giant snake as a cross of flames appeared right beneath the creature, and is just as large as the snake itself. More flames erupted the cross, landing several deep burns to the giant snake, and giving it wounds all over the body thanks to the shape of the flames. However, that was not the end as a powerful torrent of lava shot out of the cross's center, piercing the snake through before causing an explosion.

 

"Alright! Is it over?" Compa asked, readying her healing items and magic, just in case…

 

From the smoke of the explosion…bolts out the giant white snake, flying straight like an arrow towards MAGES' direction, blood flying from all its burnt wounds, and obviously attempting a do or die attack. On instinct, Hikaru swiftly…roundhouse kicks MAGES out of the way, before chanting his aria as the he became the only plausible target for the giant snake flying towards him.

 

"Ignition, On!" The sound of a church tower bell in full force swing echoes in Hikaru's mind as, followed by mana surging and bursting from the 25 circuits on his back, and embraces the entirety of his body in a form of a golden energy not unlike the sunlight. His circuits ready for use, Hikaru casts the defensive reinforcement spell name he learnt.

 

" _Rakukaja!_ " Blue light envelops his body, toughening his skin and his tracksuit to a degree. He enters a defensive position as the giant snake opens its mouth in mid-air…

 

"Hikaru-kun!" Purple Heart tried to rush in…only for the ground to crack right after it presumably nabbed Hikaru, thanks to the force of its jump. The snake falls deep into the crevice it accidentally created, leaving a hole that led to a possibly endless darkness below.

 

"Crap! Neptune!" IF called out ot the goddess, who gets her signal, proceeds to carry the brunette adventurer on her free arm, and flies down to the darkness below…

 

* * *

 

 

The giant snake landed on the ground with great force, causing great pain on its innards. That, combined with the pain of its earlier wounds, caused it to spit out Hikaru, who rolled onto the watery ground. The magus apprentice quickly regained his balance and focus, and rolled away before standing back up.

 

Hikaru quickly observes the environment around him. It appears that he had fallen down with the snake on a cavern of sorts. The ground has at least 5 centimeter's worth of water on it, and doesn't deprive anyone of movement speed. Around the walls of the cavern were clean, clear crystals sticking out, reflecting the light of the moon from above to the many other crystals around, creating a beautifully lit underground area. However, the magus apprentice did not have enough time to admire the place as the snake quickly regained its balance as well, although it seems to have lost some of its vigor from earlier, thanks to all the earlier wounds it received.

 

Hikaru gulped.

 

He asked himself: _Will he be able to defeat it and survive?_

 

No, he cannot have his doubts, now. He had accepted the duty of being the champion who will save the world. This battle…is his chance to prove his worth, his mettle as the so-called Champion of Planpetune. And thus…

 

Hikaru took a deep breath, and went into battle stance as the giant snake makes a fierce, dying roar at him. It appears that the beast won't go down without a fight, signified by the fierce stare from its eyes that never changed, filled to the brim with hatred and anger.

 

Hikaru stared back, his eyes filled with unflinching resolve. The will to run…overtaken by the will _to live._

 

"If that's what you want, then fine. I'll show you…what I'm made of!"

 

" _I've still got three minutes worth of my first Mana Ignition…I must land a fatal hit before this runs out…and kill that snake at the duration of my second use!_ " Hikaru mentally noted, the snake raising its head, and charging at him. The moment the snake neared him by a few meters, time felt like it slowed down as Hikaru's heartbeat suddenly jumped rate. The magus apprentice rolls out of the way in time, not hurt by the attack. Although, as Hikaru himself noted, the attack is not as fierce as it was before it got wounded.

 

Wasting no time in getting back up, Hikaru sees the giant snake had quickly recovered from from its attack, and is already about to launch a second charge. However, it did not raise its head. Thus, meaning that the next attack…will not have as much force as the first hit.

 

Hikaru watched carefully, and in his expectation the giant snake thrusts its head, in lesser speed and power than before. It allowed the magus apprentice to dodge with a well-timed side step, allowing him to charge in and an overhead swing and a powered thrust to the right eye of the giant white snake, causing it to breath out blue flame around in panic and pain. Hikaru rolled away from the rampaging creature to a safe distance from the breath of flames.

_Two minutes and thirty seconds left of the first Mana Ignition…_

 

The giant snake backs off from where it could smell Hikaru, and with its remaining left eye, begins a set of quick, precise slamming and swiping attacks with its tail, which Hikaru dodged with quick side steps and some more rolls. However, the magus apprentice knew that the purpose of these attacks was not for offense, but…for stalling time.

 

Hikaru noted, before the swinging of the tail began, the snake raised its head, something similar to what Hikaru saw on an enemy eastern dragon back in the RPG's he played. This action of the giant snake…it was similar posture to when those eastern dragons in games would do when it's about to breath fire.

_1 minute and thirty seconds left of the first Mana Ignition…_

 

The giant white snake finally takes a deeper breath, with flames leaking out of its mouth…and the few wounds of its throat. Hikaru sees this in alert, rolls away from the snake's tail attacks, and takes a deep breath himself…

 

"Ignition, On! _Rakukaja!_ " Hikaru consumes his second use of Mana Ignition and restarts the reinforcement spell in full force once more, causing another surge of golden light followed by blue light around his body. The snake finally charges its head in a distance near Hikaru, around 10 meters away from him…and breaths out blue flames at Hikaru at short range.

 

In a second, the place Hikaru stood in is covered in flames…as the giant white snake saw it. However, its left eye twitched in alarm as a golden shine tore through the flames it breath.

 

Hikaru, trusting the defensive power of his reinforcement for a suicidal maneuver, bolts towards the giant snake's open mouth through the flames…and this time, unlike the time with ice statue knight, Hikaru knew of the limits of the physical boost done by Mana Ignition, and exploited it alongside the defensive capabilities of his reinforcement spell. In seconds, he horizontally slashes upward the snake from its opened mouth, completely slicing off the upper head area of the giant snake that contained the brain and the upper tip of the spine.

 

The moment the chopped of head of the snake fell onto the ground, both it and the main body disintegrated into blue flames, unlike the monsters Hikaru fought earlier in Gameindustri. Moreover, Hikaru felt mana from the flames that the dead snake became, signifying origins of magic.

 

"It seems that creature…was made of magic. Unlike the ones around here, that eastern dragon rip-off didn't disintegrate into pixels. So this is something from my world, huh…Good thing I never go praying into temples! Ignition, Off." Hikaru commented as he turns off his Mana Ignition, and falling down on his knees, and watching the rest of the flames in the air.

 

Much to his surprise, the flames converged into a single area, and exploded again, this time leaving a blue colored key. Hikaru stands up, and heads for the floating key. He grabs it, and was about to observe it further when he heard a voice from above…

 

"Hey, looking smug there, mister champion!" IF called out from above, carried by Purple Heart in one arm. The latter had a look of a parent watch her child get a gold medal at the Olympics, while the former simply had the smirk she usually has, but, this time, her eyes showed relief.

 

"Ah, IF-san, and Neptune…Look what I got!" Hikaru says, raising the azure colored key he found. Purple Heart gently places IF to the ground, and heads for Hikaru before taking the key and…giving Hikaru a head pat, much to his embarrassment and red face.

 

"That was your first boss battle, was it not? Good job surviving, _and_ seizing victory, my champion." Purple says as she stopped the head pats, having enough amusements on Hikaru's flustered reactions.

 

"It's-it's not like I've won without the wounds it got earlier, so you guys are still part of the MVP's, you know?" Hikaru retorted, while attempting to hide his red face by looking away at the side. IF just chuckled as she just casually heads for Hikaru and pats his back. The magus apprentice grunted in pain as his muscles are currently in pain, and IF's pats are not helpng.

 

"Well, now, what's with that humble attitude, Mister Last Hitter? That's not like you! Where's that smug Emiya-kun a few moments earlier, before we entered the cave?" IF teased.

 

"Anyway, you know what we might use this one for?" Hikaru asked, pointing at the azure key in Purple Heart's hand. The goddess, in turn, looks around, and found a path lit by the moonlight reflecting crystals, leading somewhere. An expectant look grows on the goddess's face as she points to the path.

 

"Shall we check that suspiciously convenient pathway?" Purple Heart asks her two other companions, who nod in reply. With that, she tosses the key to Hikaru, who catches it.

 

"Follow me, everyone. We shall take the catalyst if the path leads us there, and call it a day after! I could really use some sweet, juicy steak right now…" Purple Heart complained, much to the laughter of her two companions, who found the goddess's hunger problems an iconic trait.

 

"Yeah, yeah, hold that stomach in, Neptune. We don't want you chewing on the catalyst now, don't we?" Hikaru commented, much to Purple Heart's exasperation and embarrassment.

 

"Yep. We can't screw up saving the world from the hunger problems of an overfed goddess, don't we, Emiya-kun?" IF chimed in as well, causing a glare at her and Hikaru from the goddess of Planeptune.

 

"Muu, you two are suddenly so buddy-buddy, and teaming up on me! Hmph, I'll just get the catalyst myself!" Purple Heart pouted before storming off in a way that Hikaru and IF found cute. However, remembering that it was Hikaru who had the key, the duo followed the purple goddess on the crystal lit path…

 

The trio eventually finds themselves in front of a large, metal double door. And as they guessed, there is indeed a keyhole for the key they got. Hikaru wastes no time, and opens the doors with glee, only for him to fail as his body is way too tired to even try to move large metallic double doors, to his embarrassment. And thus, Purple Heart and IF opened it instead.

 

"Wow…that box on the altar must be…" IF says as she eyes what she saw inside.

 

What greeted the trio is a stairwell, leading to an altar, surrounded by waterfalls at the top, where a shining, azure box lay, visible from where the party of three stood. With excitement overtaking them, the trio ran towards the altar. However, IF and Purple Heart stopped right before the end of the stairs, much to Hikaru's confusion.

 

"Uhh, why did you guys stop?" Hikaru asked, only for Purple Heart to shake her head and give him a smile as she spoke.

 

"To the last hitter goes the spoils. Grab that box, Hikaru-kun." Purple Heart offered, followed by IF giving a nod to Hikaru when he looked at her. Seeing the support of his two party members, the magus apprentice heads for the altar, and grabs the azure colored box. The moment the box is no longer in physical contact with the altar, a strong earthquake rattles the area, surprising the trio. At the same time, blue colored glyphs surging with mana appeared beneath their feet.

 

"What the hell is happening?!" IF shouted.

 

"I don't know! Maybe some sort of alarm for the catalyst?!" Hikaru shouted back.

 

"Everyone, hold on!" Purple Heart joined in, as a pillar of blue light erupts from the glyphs beneath their feet…

 

* * *

 

 

After the pillar of blue light dissipates, the trio found themselves outside of the cave containing the catalyst dungeon. MAGES and Compa were with them too, as well. Before anyone could ask anything, however, the entire cave, along with everything inside, including the catalyst dungeon, disintegrated into blue flames that eventually dissipated into thin air, leaving naught but the hill of flowers that originally stood there before the forced arrival of the catalyst dungeon.

 

"Wow…so catalyst dungeons are a one-off kind of area, which dissipates as soon as the most important item is retrieved…So, where's the catalyst? I would like to test out the ritual the books I've read from Histoire had pointed out." MAGES commented, looking at the hill of flowers. The master magus had planned to take some samples from the area, like pieces of wood and other items from the other world that it came from, but the lack of knowledge about it being a one-off area made MAGES take the area for granted as she planned a second visit.

 

"Yup, here's the box containing it." Hikaru said as he raised the blue colored box in his hands. MAGES smiled, as the extraction was successful, and she could finally try the Heroic Spirit Summoning system she had read about, from one of the books that Histoire claimed to have been from the organization named _Chaldea._

 

"Very well. Let us head back to the Basilicom as soon as possible. IF-san, please contact Histoire about our situation. Also, tell her to send a van to pick us up, for we are not in the state for the long walk we did a little earlier on the way here." MAGES suggested to the brunette adventurer, who has already taken out her phone and dialed a set of numbers.

 

"Already on it, no worries." IF replied.

 

"Phew, good job, everyone! I brought sandwiches with me today. Anyone hungry?" Compa called out with a gentle voice…resulting in Purple Heart, Hikaru, and MAGES lining up quickly, all of them looking so famished. Compa, however, was already happy at the fact that a lot of people are looking forward to her hand made food, and happily summons a picnic basket from her item disk.

 

And thus, while awaiting the van from the Basilicom, the party decided for a break for a few minutes…

 

* * *

 

 

The entire party now stands in front of the summoning gate in the lower levels of the Basilicom. Thanks to MAGES' workshop being just a few steps away, preparations for the summoning were done swiftly. The gates are already open. All that is left is to place the summoning catalyst in the middle of the magic circle drawn in front of the summoning gate, and for the summoning chant from the book to be said, and it's done.

 

Or so it is written in the books that MAGES got from Histoire.

 

The catalyst, something that Hikaru recognized as an old, rotting Japanese fan, is placed neatly in the very middle of the magic circle. The magus apprentice himself is standing in the direction that faces the opened summoning gate, where he could see a swirling blue space of sorts. The sight of it reminded him of a black hole.

 

"All preparations are done, apprentice. You may begin the summoning chant. You'll know it's successful if a red colored tattoo appears on your left hand after you finished chanting, _and_ if your legendary hero appears on the middle of the magic circle, that is." MAGES called out, making sure that her apprentice won't screw things up. And to make sure he won't, he was given an entire bottle of mana potion a little earlier, and was made to memorize the summoning chant, one thing he doubted about being from the book, considering his teacher's… _chuuni_ tendencies.

 

"Okay, got it. Here I come!" Hikaru declared, before raising his left hand towards the summoning circle.

 

"Ye first, O silver, O iron.

 

O stone of the foundation, O Archduke of the Contract.

 

Hear me in the name of our great teacher, the Archmagus Schweinorg.

 

Let the descending winds be as a wall.

 

Let the gates in all directions be shut, rising above the crown, and let the three-forked roads to the Kingdom revolve.

 

Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut.

 

Five perfections for each repetition.

 

And now, let the filled sigils be annihilated in my stead!

Set.

 

Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate rest in thy blade.

 

If thou submitteth to the call of the Holy Grail, and if thou wilt obey this mind, this reason, then thou shalt respond.

 

I make my oath here.

 

I am that person who is become the virtue of all Heaven.

 

I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades.

 

But let thine eyes be clouded with chaos,

 

Thou, who art trapped in a cage of madness,

 

And I, who doth hold thy chain!

 

Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words,

 

come past thy restraining rings, and be thou the hands that protect the balance-!"

 

The moment Hikaru finished the chant, the magic circle explodes in a torrent of blue flames. Everyone, with the exception of Hikaru, Histoire, and MAGES covered their eyes from the almost blinding pillar of azure that erupted.

 

The eventually dissipate, leaving someone in the middle of the magic circle. Hikaru almost lost his composure at the…beauty of the being that was summoned. It was as if a soft gale of warm air washed over him when he laid eyes on the summoned being…

 

What appeared before him is a young woman, looking like 5 years older than Hikaru is.

 

The woman has very light green hair, bright yellow eyes, and ivory skin. A pair of horns are situated on the sides of her head, pointing upwards. She wears a custom designed green and white kimono, which appears to have gold colored embroidery on the edges. The kimono itself has quite the high vertical cut on the area of the two legs, as the gaps managed to show her legs followed by her thigh-high socks. She wears a pair of ornate Japanese sandals for her feet as well.

 

She gives a bewitching look to Hikaru as she spoke.

 

"Servant, Kiyohime. Even though I look like this, I'm a Berserker you know? I'll be in your care, Master." The woman, who calls herself Kiyohime, makes a slight bow, causing Hikaru to do the same…

 

" _Wait, did she just say she's a…Berserker Class Servant?! Someone this cute is a Berserker?! As in, **Guts** -like BERSERKER?! And…where did I hear the name Kiyohime again?_" Hikaru couldn't help but stare in disbelief at ' _Berserker_ ' the contradiction of her Servant class and her appearance. Meanwhile, Kiyohime casually takes out a folding fan, spreads it open, and elegantly covers her mouth as she lets out a small giggle at her master's actions.

 

"My, my, keep staring like that and I just might explode in flames, Master~!"

 

* * *

 

 

**_Some Important Info on Mechanics concerning Magic and Magecraft on this fic – Taking to consideration that the two worlds are vastly different in almost everything, especially in the treatment of magic, I decided to infuse things at the most possible way available. Apparently, Magic is un-warped, un-weakened, and is basically public utility for those who can use it in the world of the Neptunia series, and there's also the fact that their world is basically in the Age of Gods while humanity is still able to progress._ **

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**_Also, people there can use magic without divine assistance, unlike F/SN's Age of the Gods where people needed some sort of divine assistance to be able to use magic. Also, humans of the (This Fic's) Neptunia verse don't have magic circuits, as MAGES pointed out in this chapter. They have a different magical biology compared to F/SN's humans, and thus has also a different way of casting spells. The teachings of either magus is applicable to the magical biology of the other, however._ **

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**_Also, why does MAGES work like an Earth Magus, you ask?_ **

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**_The system of magic in this Fic's Neptunia verse is has the same basic 'main frame' as the (This Fic's) Nasuverse magcraft, but the Neptunia verse's development and advancement deviates from the path that the Nasuverse Magic takes somewhere in the past. And yep, any more than this line will be spoilers for the fic._ **

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**_Also, Kiyohime's first line here is based on here line when she gets picked up from the summoning gacha. No, seriously._ **

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**_That would be all for now._ **

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**_Don't forget to leave a review! Constructive criticisms are welcomed with open arms!_ **

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**_Till next time, people!_ **

 

 


	5. "Chapter Arturia 1"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The depth of the love of a parent's for their children cannot be measured. It is like no other relationship. It exceeds concern for life itself. The love of a parent for a child is continuous and transcends heartbreak and disappointment."
> 
> \- James E. Faust

**_Author’s Note:_ **

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**_> From this point onward, there are going to be chapters called “Chapter Arturia”. Yep, you guessed right; They are chapters starring Arturia and Shirou, and are basically the story from their point of view. These chapters are ALWAYS released after a Catalyst Dungeon Raid Chapter. (Something that we had in the previous chapter)._ **

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**_> Also, the “Armor” that Arturia wears in this chapter is her armor in the Stage 2 Ascension of her Altria Pendragon Lancer form. (The Lancer Altria who is NOT the ALTER LANCER, BTW. These two are effin’ confusing without the reminders…for me, anyway. Also, why ‘Altria’, official Translators?!)_ **

 

* * *

 

 

**_Fate/Grand Goddess Resurrection_ **

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**_Chapter Arturia I:_ **

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**_“A Small Ray of Hope.”_ **

 

* * *

 

 

Shirou stared at the empty shelf where the copy of _Caliburn –IMAGE-_ once stood. Out of all the projected Noble Phantasms on display, only the rather mediocre one was taken, which is a sign that one inexperienced about these weapons must have come inside the extra room of the workshop. And if he heard right, Rider saw Hikaru carrying the said weapon before the Rider Servant charged onwards against Athena. Which means that…it was indeed Hikaru who managed to open the illusionary wall to the extra room.

 

The question is, however…

_How was it that he was able to know where the location of the trigger for the wall was, despite having no means to detect the magical distortion emitted by the illusionary wall? Was it some magically induced gut feeling? Or a lucky hunch? Or maybe someone guided him there?_

The redhead decided to look around a bit more for more clues, to no avail as there were no other oddities than the missing Noble Phantasm. Going back up to the ware house, he looks at the traces of goblin blood at the few scrap items and at the floor near the entrance. Earlier, the corpse of a beheaded goblin was found in that area, with the head and one of its arms cleanly slashed off its body from what might be seen as a sword wound.

 

Remembering Rider’s words on how **bloody** _Caliburn_ was and where Hikaru stood when Rider saw him, Shirou knew that the one who brutally diced the goblin was his own son. His son, who only ever harmed and killed literal insects like mosquitos and cockroaches with an oversized paper fan, and when it comes to humans, the boy only beat them up with a wooden sword while making sure they aren’t crippled permanently in any way. While Hikaru did have a temper concerning bullies (Something that Shirou admitted Hikaru took after him from), Shirou knew that his son would never brutally harm nor kill anything larger than an insect.

 

But, to think the very same child was forced to _kill_ to defend himself…Shirou could only clench his fists at the thought of the Goddess that begun all this. Why do all of this in the first place? Why did it have to be his family?

 

Why ruin the peaceful life he and his family had after all these years?

 

Shirou shook his head. No, he can’t be consumed by anger and panic right now. He has to retain his focus, and dedicate his energy to the investigation of the black holes in Fuyuki, all of which might lead to the same place Hikaru landed in after being kidnapped by the Goddess.

 

Now that he thought about it…Rin had also left last night to head for Zeltretch’s location somewhere in Europe. It appears while Rin does know where the location of the legendary Magus is, the time it will take is-

 

An idea then pops up in Shirou’s mind. An idea that made the embers of the Hero of Justice ignite a little bit more once again, just like in his youth. While he does trust Rin and her teacher, he cannot wait. Who know what danger the Goddess of War and Strategy might put Hikaru in as time passes? The knowledge about all the legendary heroes Athena assisted and the dangers they faced does not put Shirou at ease either.

 

Putting on a smirk, Emiya Shirou decided to head for the house and for the kitchen, to begin cooking today’s breakfast. The only time he gets to clear his head and think wisely is the time when he’s cooking, after all.

 

“Hmm…What should I cook for today?” Shirou asked himself as he enters through the doors of his home, and passes through the halls…

 

_In the dining room…_

Arturia paced back and forth, her footsteps making sounds that are barely covered by the frying sounds from the room’s kitchen. Despite Rin’s assurance, Arturia could not ease her worries, especially at her son’s situation. Sure, should he encounter any _human_ ruffians, Arturia is confident that Hikaru can take care of himself just fine, but…should he be up against slightly stronger monsters, especially the likes of those that plagued the world before, the King of Knights shuddered at the thought. If only…if only she listened to Rin a few years ago, she wouldn’t be this much worried. For what she and her husband thought would be the safest path of life for Hikaru…turned out to be the most harmful one instead.

 

“Saber, could you set the table? I’m nearly done with the food.” Shirou’s voice snapped Arturia out of her train of thoughts, and bringing her back to reality.

 

“Ah…understood. I’ll be done in but a few moments.” Saber replied, moving towards the kitchen where Shirou stood cooking, and instinctively took three plates, drinking glasses, and three pairs of chop sticks, before setting them on the table. She proceeds to take the rice cooker as well, and places on the usual area where it would be placed.

 

Shirou comes along a few minutes later, carrying the plate with the viand, and places on the table. However, before they could start, it took one instinctual move to bring discomfort to the quiet atmosphere.

 

“Wait, I gotta call Hikaru…ah.” Arturia instinctively stood, before realization hits her once more and goes back to sit down. Shirou stayed quiet, but, the atmosphere of the dining room went rather heavy for this time of the morning.

 

The breakfast occurred rather quietly, even though neither Arturia nor Shirou decided to put away the third pair of eating utensils on the table. Instead, they finished their breakfast in the same heavy, quiet manner, with the life of the morning breakfast gone with the third occupant who would usually be in here.

 

After they were done eating, Arturia decided to keep on sitting down and thinking, while Shirou went on the clean the dishes. However, even as he was busy cleaning the plates in the glasses, Shirou decided that now would be the more perfect time to do some discussions…and to try his gambit at his little plan.

 

“Saber…Tohsaka will be successful and bring back Zeltretch, I know it. So please-”

 

“I know, Shirou, I know. What I am worried about, however, is how long will that take her, for what we know of the Kaleidoscope, he is quite whimsical, and might have left the place he’s in.” Arturia cut-off Shirou, but her tone remained calm and stoic as it would usually be, “What I fear, Shirou, is the danger that Hikaru will be facing while we are here, doing nothing but investigations. Had you forgotten what Rider told us? That those portals were the same place where she saw that dragon and those monsters pop out of. And the one above our house disappeared as soon as the Goddess defeated Rider. That could only mean that there is no doubt about those other black holes being the path way leading to where Hikaru is, Shirou.” Arturia concluded, having taken into consideration what Rider said the night before.

 

“I see, so you’re suggesting that…we should just ditch Tohsaka’s advice and jump straight into those black holes without any proper precautions from her?” Shirou asked, making Arturia give a nod, despite her thinking that it might be in vain. However, her husband’s reaction was not something she foresaw…

 

…As Shirou simply popped a relieved, goofy smile dripping with victory as he finished with the dishes, and sat beside his wife with the same expression.

 

“Actually…I _was_ about to ask you that myself, but…looks like everything went well. So, wanna help me prepare for the journey…Saber?” Shirou, with the same victorious and expectant look on his face, asks the King of Knights, who wore both a surprised and relieved look herself. Taking in her husband’s words, Arturia makes a small smirk of her own before standing up and offering her hand to Shirou.

 

“Very well. That little temptation was something I thought you’d reject normally, but…it appears I forgot for a moment who you were. You are Shirou Emiya, the Hero of Justice with the most unmatched reckless tendencies when it comes to saving someone. I should not have been surprised at your reaction and plan.” Saber muses, causing an undignified ‘ _Hey!_ ’ from Shirou as he picked her hand, and stood with her.

 

“To think I can end up forgetting what my husband would usually do in this situation…I truly have been panicking a little too much. Thanks for making me realize that, Shirou. Now… _shall we begin the preparations?_ ” Arturia declares, now back into her _Saber_ persona, all calm and ready for the journey that lies ahead. This journey…is going to be a difficult one, and a long one at that. But…for the sake of the one they have to save, this journey isn’t one she must run away from.

 

The most precious gift she had received in the world…she cannot lose him, no matter what she must go through to find him. Shirou, from what Saber can see from his eyes, appears to truly feel the same, his orange eyes baring his determination, making them resemble glowing embers that just wouldn’t die down.

 

“Let’s go, Saber.”

 

* * *

 

 

The cold winds of the night enroach Shirou and Arturia as they approached the forests near Homurahara Academy. The moonlight shines brightly as well, revealing the rather short grasses that reflected the moon’s color. The couple quickly trudged through the forest, expecting to enter the black hole somewhere before dawn.

 

“Shirou…are you sure a letter of apology would be enough?” Arturia asked, causing her husband to look at her with a small, contented smile. Before they left, Shirou had the idea to leave a letter on where they were going, and on what they intend to do, along with lines that express deep apology for suddenly leaving and making things a little more difficult for those staying behind.

 

“I’m sure it will. And besides, I’m the one who’ll take most of Tohsaka’s wrath in the end anyway, so try don’t worry too much.” Shirou finishes with a small laugh, whilst slightly going pale at the explosion that will be Tohsaka Rin the moment Shirou and Arturia does go home with Hikaru. And besides, having known Shirou for so long, there’s no way the Tohsaka Magus will not see his current actions coming, and probably gave him and Arturia the Boundary field access scroll for that reason. Well… she probably did.

 

“I see. Then, there shall be no turning back. Let’s hurry, Shirou.” Arturia says, earning her a nod from her redheaded husband. Together, they moved deeper into the center of the forests. They eventually reached a clearing, where the winds seem to gather, as if the area had a gigantic vacuum of sorts that was enabled to suck in all possible directions. There’s also the surge an… _alien_ energy that somewhat resembled magic energy…no, rather, it was as if someone took mana and mixed it with something else that both Shirou and Arturia couldn’t recognize, and which sent an unpleasant chill to Shirou’s spine.

 

“Here it comes. Let’s go, and see for ourselves that other world!” As if a rallying her army of valiant knights, Arturia roars those words and walks ahead of Shirou, intent on leading him. The redhead magus, in turn, got overtaken by his wife’s charisma and followed her into the black hole floating ahead of them…

 

Before they did anything, however, Shirou and Arturia held hands first, for if they were to look for their son, they will do it together, _and_ they too, shall bring him home together, hand in hand as well. Closing both their eyes, the Hero of Justice and the King of Knights walked straight into the black hole itself…

 

A feeling of warmth caressed them both as they felt like the ground they were stand on disappear, as did their consciousness…

 

* * *

 

 

“Ugh…” Shirou groaned as he sat up, feeling the soft grass beneath him. Before he could open his eyes however, the voice of Arturia rang from beside him.

 

“Shirou, are you awake as well? You might want to…take a look around us first.” Arturia says as she helps up her husband stand, after which Shirou finally opened his eyes. What he saw, however, almost made his eyeballs bulge out of their sockets. With both of them standing over what appears to be a tall hill with an even taller tree on it, Shirou and Arturia could see beautiful plains as far as the eye could see, and from afar, they could sight what appears to be a thick forest, a large mountain surrounded by the aforementioned forest, an old castle atop that mountain, and a city full of silver colored skyscrapers from another side.

 

“So, this is a parallel world…” Shirou says in awe at what he saw around him.

 

“Yes, it would appear so, for no place on Earth had this much nature whilst maintaining a good progress on technology.” Arturia says, looking at the abundant nature around her and back at the modern city from afar. It was as if someone melded the beautiful forms of nature in her time and the technological progress of the modern era of Shirou’s time. It was…a beautiful combination indeed. The moonlight lighting up everything just made it all even more memorable.

 

“Say, Saber, the air…” Shirou looked around, and kept on taking deep breaths, as if smelling something pleasant for the first time, “It’s…so full of magic. I feel like…I could project a few Noble Phantasms right here and not feel a single depletion in my magic reserves. It’s as if I’ve got unlimited resources everywhere. Tohsaka and Rider would feel at home right here.” Shirou noted, feeling like he could explode any moment and start chucking out weapons at random. Or rather, that is what his body and magic circuits is urging him to do. It is like…the very, very thick amount of magic melded in the air is causing his circuits to start jumping in joy and happiness.

 

Saber began to sense the thick magic as well, and gave a small smile of nostalgia…followed by genuine surprise, “Yes, you’re right. In fact…the thickness of magic here…is a lot stronger than it was in my era. If the magic energy in my era was a large, clear lake, the magic available in this world would be something akin to the great sea, with endlessly roaring waves.” Saber says in admiration, much to Shirou’s own shock. So, the magic in this world is much greater than the ones in Earth during the time of heroes and legends?

 

Before they could continue the appreciation of the parallel world, however, a scream brings them back to reality. Without having the need to say anything to each other as they already knew what they must do, the Hero of Justice and the King of Knights ran for the source of the scream.

 

What they saw quickly put them in an alarm for combat.

 

In the middle of the area where the grass was cut clean, which the couple guessed as a road, stands a large cart driven by a large bison, which appears to have an old man as the driver as well as a young girl with silver-ish light purple hair as an extra passenger right beside the old man, as the space behind the cart was riddled with wrapped goods. Running around and surrounding the cart were five wild boars, around the size of the bison that drove the cart. From afar, three more of the same boars can be seen approaching as well.

 

Without wasting time, Arturia summons forth her armor and sword. Her armor, however, is a different one compared to her old armor as King Arthur. Her current armor consisted of a sloped upward kind that is meant to deflect blows from close up, her left being covered in a large pauldron and her left arm covered in an armored gauntlet. Her right arm is the same as the left, only without the large pauldron that the left had. She wears a long blue skirt with gold outlines, which had long vertical slits that allow her for quick and easy movements, while showing most of her legs each time she moves. She also wears armor from the knees till her feet, with the soles being of magically reinforced materials. Wielded on her right hand is, of course, _Excalibur,_ still covered within _Invisible Air’s_ magically induced wind.

 

“Trace, _On!_ ” Shirou declared, his magical energy and magic circuits bolting to life once more. Golden sparks ignited on his two hands, before fading away and getting replaced by a bow…and a set of pitch black swords. Each of them had a few small edges coiling around the thin core, spiraling around it and somewhat curving outward. However, this are no ordinary blades, for this sword is known by the name of _Hrunting, The Hound of the Red Plains._ Moreover, Shirou could not feel any loss of magical power, as the ridiculously thick magic energy in the air quickly replaces what he has lost… _in a matter of few drawn breaths._

 

“Shirou, I’ll take the five surrounding the cart. You can snipe and take out the other three that are approaching from afar!” Arturia commanded, before charging forward towards the cart. Meanwhile, hearing the King of Knight’s words, Shirou swiftly goes back to the hill top whence he came, and positioned himself there. Seeing one of the three boars from afar start rushing in, Shirou readies and draws one of the _Hruntings_ at his disposal, aimed at the rushing boar…and fires it. The moment the sword flies through the air, it pierced through in the form of a large, red bullet, which then easily reaches the targeted boar in a few seconds. The force of the sword’s flight, as well as the magical energy charged in it, instantly obliterates the boar into an explosion of blue colored pixels, much to Shirou’s surprise. However, he quickly shakes it off as he sights another one of the afar-boars rushing in, and prepares another _Hrunting_ to draw in response.

 

Meanwhile, one of the boars surrounding the cart decides it’s had enough and charges towards the old man on the driver’s seat…only for the boar to be cleaved in half and explode to pixels by a rushing overhead slash from Arturia. The other boars noticed, and turned their attention at the murderer of their kin. Two of the remaining boars wasted no time and rushed at Arturia, aiming their tusks at the King of Knights as they charged towards her. However, Arturia simply puts on a stance that allowed her a powerful horizontal swing.

 

“Begone!” Arturia says in her normal, stoic tone, before launching a powerful swing sideways, easily cleaving the two rushing boars in clean halves and causing them to explode in blue pixels as well. Another boar jumps high into the air and attempts a slam on Arturia. The King of Knights responds with a swift upward diagonal swing from the right, quickly cutting the boar in two and exploding in pixels. The last boar, seeing Arturia’s victorious streak, decides to run for the far-off hills.

 

“I will not let you escape!”

 

Arturia shouts as she charges in and lands a thrust attack while rushing, piercing through the unfortunate boar and obliterating it into blue pixels. Arturia then cautiously looks around some more, before seeing a red streak of light pass above her and into afar, where an escaping boar gets hit by it and the target exploding into even more blue pixels. Seeing that there is no enemy left, Arturia glances at where the red streak came from, as her way of signaling Shirou to come over. In a few seconds, the redheaded Magus arrives, and both he and Arturia headed for the attacked cart.

 

Arturia sees the old man waving at her and Shirou, giving a sense of relief to the latter two as the cart’s passengers are now calm and composed as a result of their earlier efforts. The happy smile on the old man’s and the purple haired girl’s face is proof enough.

 

“Are you and your company alright, good sir? Any wounds on your person?” Arturia asked with a soft voice. The old man on the cart quickly waved his two hands in front of himself as to assure Arturia.

 

“No, no, not a single scratch on me nor my granddaughter, thanks to you and your partner’s effort, Miss Knight! Might I know your names so that I can properly thank my and my granddaughter’s saviours?” The old man went down his cart before he spoke and made a bow as he finished speaking, clearly drawn in by the King of Knight’s charisma. The same appears to the case for the old man’s granddaughter, who could do nothing but gape in awe and admiration to Arturia and Shirou.

 

“My name is Arturia Emiya, and the skilled Archer over there is my husband, Shirou Emiya.” Arturia made a gesture to herself then to Shirou, who gave a slight bow to the old man. The old man gave a hearty laugh in joy at knowing the names of the two, before composing himself and looking Arturia and Shirou in the eye.

 

“Missus Arturia and Mister Shirou…Thank you so much for saving me and me granddaughter!” The old man gives a rather deep bow of appreciation, before going back up straight and speaking once more, “As a payment, why not stay with my family for the night? As from what I can see, the two of you are travelling adventurers, are you not? Leanbox’s capital city is still quite far without transportation, but, the village I live in is just but a few walks away.” The old man asked, causing Shirou and Arturia to look from each other.

 

The two of them remembered the situation they’re in. They are currently in a parallel world, without any knowledge about it. Not even about its name, history, currency, and many other more. And remembering the monsters from earlier, this means that the entire world is still in the age of magic, despite the rather advanced technology of the city they saw from afar. This, in turn, might mean that this world might have their own variation of the Mage’s Association, something that Shirou and Arturia hope that Hikaru hasn’t encountered yet if it really existed in this parallel world as well. If anything, they need information right now.

 

What better way to do that than to blend in with the locals?

 

“Ah, thank you, good sir. But…as me and my wife are staying with you, can we at least know your names? From where I came from, it is not right to not know the name of the person who treats you as a guest in their home.” Shirou says with a soft smile, causing the old man to give another hearty laugh.

 

Puffing his chest with pride, the old man proceeds to introduce himself, “My name is Eizen Lynehym. My cute granddaughter over there is Sylvia Lynehym. Once more, the two of us would like to thank you for the protection you gave us! And thus, please, stay at our home for the night, where we shall provide warm food and a clean bed. It is the only way we can repay you two for all that you have done. Will you accept this humble old farmer’s offer, Miss Knight and her Archer?”

 

In response, Arturia and Shirou looked at each other once more, and after a silent agreement, Arturia proceeds to give a nod to Eizen, much to the old man’s delight.

 

“We accept your offer, Eizen-san. And please, just call me and my husband by our names. No need for formalities. For tonight, me and Shirou shall be in your care.” Arturia declares with a soft smile on her face, before making a small bow. Eizen swiftly waved his hands in panic, a little unsure on how to handle the charismatic knight’s actions. Meawhile, his granddaughter, Silvia, went down from the cart to the side of her grandfather.

 

“Please excuse my grandpapa. When he’s like this, he’s just little shy and unsure on how to handle polite people and-”

 

“Ahem! Now, my dear, don’t go spilling the beans on your grandpapa’s habits! I’ll make you an apple pie at home, so make sure to lead our heroic guests to the other passenger seats behind the cart, alright?” Eizen, out of feigned embarrassment, quickly whispers those words and playfully gestures to Arturia and Shirou, whom then Silvia proceeds to greet with a big smile and eyes of admiration. Meanwhile, Eizen proceeds to nod at Shirou and Arturia before heading for the driver’s seat of the cart.

 

“Hello, Missus Arturia and Mister Shirou! Please, follow me! I’m going to lead you to the VIP seat of the Lynehym express!” Silvia says in a manner not unlike an idol from Shirou’s world. To the redhead magus, Silvia’s mannerisms reminded him of those idol girls that Hikaru always seems to watch on TV and on his PC. In response to Silvia’s words, Shirou gives a small nod.

 

“Please lead the way, Silvia-chan.” Shirou says with a small smile. Silvia quickly turned around, and walked, as she had to hide the sudden creeping blush on her face as Shirou and Arturia followed her. As they walked towards the cart, the King of Knights suddenly gave Shirou a jab to the ribs with her armored elbow, causing the redhead to look at his wife. Said wife now sports a look of suspicion, causing Shirou to wave his hands defensively, as it was his way of wordlessly saying “ _No, I didn’t do anything I swear!_ ”

 

Then, at that moment, Arturia suddenly remembered something important.

 

“Shirou, our baggage is still at the hilltop!” Arturia quickly declared, albeit nearly a whisper, in order to avoid disturbing Eizen and Silvia. Shirou, hearing this, has jaw dropped and palmed his face as Arturia fought the urge to let out a small chuckle at the situation.

 

Shirou wastes no time, and heads for Eizen, before telling him of the matter about the baggage. The old man, not losing an ounce of kindness, gave Shirou an okay for a few minute’s worth of time to spend looking for the baggage, and even offered to help carry them onto the large cart. After giving his thanks, Shirou and Eizen swiftly retrieved the baggage from the hilltops, and after everything has been prepared, and with Arturia and Shirou in the seats on the back of the cart, Eizen calls out to his bison to move, before taking the reigns and handling the direction of the animal’s movements.

 

* * *

 

 

“Thank you for the food!”

 

The sounds of the TV echoed around the house as the four occupants of the house, namely Shirou, Arturia who’s now in her usual casual wear, Silvia, and Eizen began to eat. Despite Arturia’s doubts, Eizen’s cooking was actually well done, able to compare to Shirou’s nearly, Arturia thought as she kept on devouring the food. The other three in the room could only give quick glances of amusement, although in Silvia’s case, it was more of shock and wonder. A wonder on where in the world Arturia keeps all those fat after eating an amount surpassing that of an entire legion’s needs.

 

Although, it did not take for so long for Silvia to obtain her answer as she accidentally took a glance at Arturia’s…nigh-destructive bouncing assets. The singer idol wannabee gave a look of defeat on her own moderate…arsenal, and makes a nearly silent sigh of resignation before moving her thoughts to the dessert on the table.

 

Meanwhile, Eizen, being ever so cheerful, decides that now would be a good time to know a bit more about his guests. No better place of socialization than eating together in the dining table, the old farmer thought.

 

“Say, I don’t want to pry and all, but, I’m curious as to why you and your husband are on the road rather than having a stable home. Recently married and on your travelling honeymoon, I presume?” Eizen asked, with the tone of a father who seems to be having fun poking embarrassments of his children.

 

“Ah, about that…” Arturia looked down for a few seconds, before looking back up with a stoic, determined face, “It is a topic better not conversed about in the dining table, Eizen-san. But, to give you a gist of it, me and my husband are…in search of someone important to the both of us.”

 

Eizen had a look of realization, and quickly turns his attention to his granddaughter, who appears busy sulking over her…arsenals whilst giving Artoria’s a few, quick jealous glances.

 

“Ah, Sylvia, dear, mind checking the apple if it’s cooked? If not, could grandpapa ask you to watch over it till it does?” Eizen says with a soft, gentle tone, causing Sylvia to snap back to reality with a slightly red face, before getting up and slightly bowing to her grandfather and the guests.

 

“I’ll be back with the apple pie, everyone! Sylvia-chan, signing off!” Sylvia makes a cutesy variation of a military salute, before heading for the kitchen that’s all the way to the other side of the house. The sight of the action evokes a small smile of amusement and adoration from Eizen, who laughs softly as he faces back at Arturia and Shirou.

 

“Ah, my little girl wants to be one of those famous singing school idols, you see, and plans to take up scholarship on a school on Leanbox’s main capital two months from now on. But…” Eizen’s expression suddenly became serious, his tone switching to that of concern, “I heard earlier that you are searching for someone important to you. From what this old man has experience, those words always precede trouble, of the kind that involves beloved family. Pray tell, can this old man help you in any way?”

 

Shirou was about to speak, but, stops himself at the last second, and takes a look at Arturia, who stares back in turn. From what little time they had spend with the old Lynehym, he seems to be just an ordinary farmer with an adequate life, enough to feed even Arturia, at least. From someone with experience on people, both Shirou and Arturia could outright tell the old man was harmless, and that he is indeed, genuinely concerned. Moreover, they still need information on this world as well. And thus, with a silent decision, Arturia faces Eizen.

 

“You have helped us aplenty with the food and lodging, Eizen-san. While we do admit that telling you would be harmless, we wouldn’t want to burden you any further.” Arturia declared, only for Eizen to gently shake his head, his expression of concern only deepening.

 

“Don’t worry about it. This old man had done nothing but tend to my farm. Helping a person or two in need is nothing compared to that job. Now, if you would want this old man’s help, don’t hesitate to ask, especially if it’s about family. I would be more than happy to help my saviours on something that I am truly good at!” Eizen says, ending his sentence with a kind-hearted laugh.

 

Arturia, seeing the old man’s own determination, makes a sigh of relief. If he truly wants to help, then…

 

“The person me and my husband are looking for…is our son. He was kidnapped from home two days ago, and we couldn’t find him anywhere within the proximity of our hometown. Which is why I am currently travelling with my husband…as this is our only hope in ever finding a trace of his disappearance.” Arturia says, before taking out a picture from the baggage near her, and shows it to Eizen. On the picture are three people, two of which is Arturia and Shirou, smiling happily in front of what appears to be an underwater ocean park. Between the two of them is a young, androgynous youth around the same age as Sylvia, and appears to have all of Arturia’s facial features, showing a big smile as well.

 

“All that we know is that a woman kidnapped him, around a few years older than he is, and no more than that. So for now, I had no choice but to being searching by a long mile.” Arturia explained. Eizen, in response, showed a sorrowful expression. Having lost his own children himself, the old man got a gist of Arturia and Shirou’s situation. But, even as he truly want to help them, he has not seen anyone who looked the kid in the picture. And did Arturia just call her kid a he? With that face of… _“his”?_

 

“I’m sorry Arturia-san, but, I did not see any… _boy_ with that face on my comings and goings through the continent of Leanbox. But, as he has been gone for just two days, I might just encounter him or maybe someone who has seen him. In fact, I know a lot of fellow farmers who come and go around different continents…or rather, they used to.” Eizen says with a saddened expression. Shirou’s attention perked up.

 

So, it appears that there is more than one continent, and the one they’re currently in is called by Eizen as ‘ _Leanbox_ ’.

 

“Used to? Are you saying that they can no longer access the other continents now? Is there a ban of some sort?” Shirou asked. Eizen shook his head.

 

“No, not really. If you can call those gigantic Gates with a powerful Guardian waiting inside a Ban, then it might as well be.” Eizen says, hopelessness somehow gracing his old, wrinkled features. “While those things didn’t really stop any transportation carrying only objects and resources, thus not really stopping any proper business transactions, those darned _Guardians_ would go barmy on any vehicle on land or air that contained a living human. Thanks to those freaks, travel to other continents is now an equivalent to having a death wish. People now have had no choice but to do business via those…uhh…A.I. controlled transport vehicles. Teleportation magic has gone bunkers too ever since those Gates appeared, so no using that.”

 

Shirou and Arturia’s eyes slightly widened at the last sentence. Teleportation magic? As public utility? Shirou admits that he never imagined such a thing could be possible, having taken into consideration the secrecy of the magus back at his own world. Anyone using magic in public will have to find a way to silence the witnesses…or get silenced themselves. But, unlike back home, magic is most probably public knowledge in this parallel world, if even an old farmer mentions its public usage going outright unusable.

 

Shirou had both excited expectations and unpleasant fears from Eizen’s unintentional revelation. The former made Shirou think about all the lives that can be saved a lot easier with magic, especially when applied to public medical fields. The latter, however, made Shirou wince of the possibility of magic being openly used in wars should there be any that arise.

 

“These _Guardians_ of yours…what do they look like? And, had there been any efforts from the leading bodies of this continent to take them out?” Arturia asks, curious as to why the said guardian still remains. With all these magic and technology in full power all around them, won’t such things be possible to beat? Or maybe these guardians are actually Phantasmal Beasts?

 

“The _Guardian_ that blocks the paths of Leanbox…was said to be a gigantic, green scaled dragon, from what eye witnesses saw. And as for eliminating it…well…even the best warriors of Leanbox couldn’t land a scratch on its shining green scales. As for our beloved Goddess…she has promised this nation of a _human champion_ from another continent who shall slay the dragon blocking the passages, as well as the passages of other nations. So far, it’s only been two months since the blockade by the _Gates,_ but…we only could hope that there is truly a champion to slay these _Guardians._ ” Eizen says, his eyes not losing their light despite the hopeless tone he makes. While businesses were not heavily damaged, the travelers and capability to travel has been completely blocked, and unfortunately, Eizen’s business involved travelling by a lot.

 

Arturia, at the meantime, could only stare. Her suspicions have been proven right. Phantasmal beasts and Divine beings still thrive in this world, and not in a good way at that. The goddess refuses to take action and wants to wait for a champion to appear and save her people, and Phantasmal Beasts are blocking passages between the continents. The last one means a great obstacle in the search for Hikaru. Arturia, however, having fought Beasts of these magnitude before, sees no problem in the confrontation should she ever go for it.

 

However, her goal for now is to gather as much information on this world. Rushing things will never yield good results, as she learned during her rule.

 

Reviewing the old man’s words, Arturia remembered Rider’s retelling of her encounters with the Goddess of War and Strategy. The goddess mentioned about making Hikaru her champion or some such…

 

It was by this line of thought that made Arturia go pale. If Rider is not truly lying, then… _Hikaru’s life truly is in great, deep danger by the minute_. If her guess is right, that if she and Shirou does not find Hikaru fast enough, their son will have to face the green dragon Phantasmal Beast in the very near future. Something that does _not_ bode well with Arturia.

 

“I see…” Shirou says in reply to Eizen’s words from earlier, his tone unreadable on what emotion it was supposed to convey. However, his face already pretty much shows grave concern for the people of Leanbox. It couldn’t leave his mind…the fact that a great Phantasmal Beast is doing a blockade whilst the Goddess of this continent is just content to wait for a champion to slay the dragon…and Shirou, having drawn the same conclusions as Arturia about the champion, really, really does not intend to let that clash happen.

 

And thus, he has decided. That dragon…is now on the top of the Hero of Justice’s _to-do-list_. With it around, not only Leanbox is going to be in danger, but, if his conclusions about the supposed champion and Rider’s story is right, then there’s no doubt that Hikaru might end up facing the Dragon in the near future…provided, Shirou and Arturia doesn’t take care of the dragon problem before Hikaru does.

 

“Hello, everyone! Everyone’s favorite idol Sylvia-chan is here! With the most wonderful apple pie in the world as her gift~!” Sylvia interrupts the serious atmosphere of the dining room, much to everyone’s delight, especially Arturia, who unconsciously drooled at the apple pie carried by Sylvia the moment the King of Knights smelled its scent enter the dining room.

 

“Thank you, Sylvia-chan. I shall do the cutting, so please place it on the table’s space near me.” Arturia says, looking Sylvia in the eyes for a few seconds before returning her attention to the sweet smelling apple pie. In response, feeling excited to endorse her grandfather’s cooking to the couple, Sylvia happily walks towards Arturia’s side, and places the entire place of apple pie to where Arturia had gestured.

 

“And mission accomplished! Make sure to say a comment about its taste, okay~?” Sylvia says once more in a cutesy fashion, reminding Shirou of all the…idol related shows Hikaru watched on TV. He had seen that for so many times, Shirou swore he could quickly point out if a girl is an idol or not in the same way he can detect a Noble Phantasm. Rin forcing him to watch with her and Hikaru each time did not help matters either.

 

And thus, with the skill and grace of a King, Arturia swiftly cuts the apple pie in fair sized triangular pieces, totaling in eight large slices. Sylvia and Eizen appears awed once more, as if seeing a bright glow of gold brewing with grace from the entirety of Arturia’s actions.

 

Must be that B-Rank Charisma, Shirou thought in amusement. Even he falls victim to that very charisma at times.

 

The dessert gets finished in a few minutes, much to Eizen’s delight, as he saw the delighted faces of his guests and granddaughter as they ate the pie. The old man became much more happier when Shirou offered to do the dishes, as Eizen has started to feel his right arm’s joints creaking again. However, before he began cleaning the dishes, Shirou calls for Eizen, having wanted to talk about something important…

 

_A few minutes later, on the extra room of the Lynehym household…_

 

Arturia sat on the bed, now wearing her sleepwear, which was a nearly transparent, dark blue colored night gown. Seeing that Eizen had made his promise to not enter the room of the couple and just make a few knocks should he call, Arturia decided to make herself comfortable. And besides, Shirou’s flustered face always makes the best amusements before going to sleep. Oh, that reaction of his…makes Arturia want to-she cut off that line of thought. She can’t disturb the other occupants of the house the whole night now, can she?

 

The King of Knights made an amused smile at her own habits as she looked at herself in the nearby full body mirror. Her old self wouldn’t even dare think of relaxing at a time like this, but, somehow…living a normal life with Shirou and her son had caused the formerly uptight King of Knights to “ _loosen up a bit_ ”, as Rin had described during one of their women-only talks back home. Arturia herself was surprised at the Tohsakas Magus’ words, not having noticed her own personality having taken a slow but steady charge towards being more relaxed as time passed.

 

If there was one thing the King of Knights noticed it was that…

 

This time, every time she woke up, her heart now looks forward to experiencing the peaceful happiness the day will provide her, something that she never did back then. Life was no more just about wars nor bloodshed, nor ruling. It was…more about living it to the fullest and enjoying it as she does so.

 

Arturia could only thank the current events of her life for this change in her. Well, except her son’s kidnapping. That one gave her reason to start kicking back to her more serious approach in life. Till she recovers her son and goes home, at least.

 

The door suddenly opens, causing Arturia to put on a teasing, sultry smile at the redheaded magus who just entered. Shirou, in the most classic fashion, quickly blushes deep red the moment he sees Arturia and is pulling all of his will together not to grin like a perverted idiot. Seeing this, Arturia makes a sigh of satisfaction, before her face returned to its usual, stoic expression.

 

“So…based on what Eizen-san has told us, we are on a continent known as _Leanbox_ , and the access to the other continents which we do not know of is blocked by a Great Phantasmal Beast, who awaits a human champion from another continent to fight.” Arturia begins, causing Shirou to snap back into reality…whilst doing all he can to look Arturia in the eye, and _only in the eye._

“Rider told us that Athena proclaimed herself to be the patron goddess of a place called Planeptune, which is-”

 

“The continent that’s the farthest from _Leanbox_. Saber, concerning that…I acquired a lot of information from Eizen-san concerning the world. It’s really important we know this…so, I’m sorry, but, shall we talk about it first?” Shirou says, his eyes showing urgency. Arturia, sensing this, quickly gives a nod.

 

Shirou quickly explains what he had learned about the world they’re in…

 

The entire world is called Gameindustri. Within it are four great continents that are floating in the skies. They are:

 

_Lastation, the Land of Black Regality, where machinery and technology are the main focus of the people._

_Lowee, the Land of White Purity, the land where magic rules supreme in all, and is in fact the center of livelihood and daily life itself, much to the childish, gleeful look on Shirou’ face as he talked about it. There’s also his really happy face when he explains that magic is basically public utility in the whole world._

_Leanbox, the Land of Green Pastures, the continent of the most fertile soil, and the home of the world’s highest number of unique flora and fauna, both magical and mundane. A sign that outright screams home to Phantasmal Beasts. And as it appears, magic rules supreme in here as well. There’s also the mentions of the continent being the only one that contains the highest number of unexplored mystical dungeons. Then, Leanbox is also the continent that houses and works with the world’s highest number of farmers, allowing Leanbox to be the main provider of dairy products to the rest of Gameindustri._

_And lastly…_

_Planeptune, the land of Great Purple Progress. The only civilization in the world to completely outmatch Lastation and Lowee in the matters of progress in technology and magic. As it appears, those two factors are also the center of daily life in that continent. Planeptune also is the nation with the most feared military power in the whole world. Not surprising, as the one whom Shirou believes to be Athena is the patron goddess of the place. This place is also the main goal for both the Hero of Justice and the King of Knights._

Arturia could only make a relieved sigh. Good thing that the doubt of her and Shirou being in a wrong parallel world was dispelled.

 

“Say, Shirou…where did you learn all these?” Arturia asked in a whsiper. If there was one unspoken rule for them, it was to tip off the suspicions of the locals the wrong way. Like hell they would believe that there is a parallel world. And that she came from it. Despite being in the second floor of a house made of stone, Arturia believes there’s no such things as being too careful.

 

“Oh, don’t worry. I simply found one of Silvia-chan’s school books lying in the living room, and took a quick reading when I saw it was about world history. And that it was written in…English.” Shirou says with a grin, before seeing Arturia give a relieved nod. And wait, they write in English?!

 

Thank goodness, Arturia thought. That should make things easier.

 

“So, then, as for what we shall do-”

 

“We shall focus on making a plan to slay that dragon before Hikaru does, am I not right?” This time, Arturia interrupts Shirou, much to his resignation.

 

“Yeah. But, first, we gotta make preparations for that. Like a base of operations, an earning job, and of course, resources. And lucky for us, I’ve taken care of the first two.” Shirou says with a proud look, “I managed to convince Eizen-san to let us stay a little longer. In exchange, the both of us will take some monster slaying jobs at the place they call the Guild, and I will also take turns with Eizen-san cooking dinner each night.”

 

“How about the third part, Shirou?” Arturia asked.

 

“That is something we can easily build up with what we earn. If anything, payments for high ranking monster slaying jobs are basically the same as the payments for international basketball players. The ranking in the guild is no problem, since I’m sure that we can easily defeat anything that’s not a green scaled dragon. We can rack up our record quickly to increase our rank as fast as possible. Saber, Eizen-san also mention stocking up on potions that restore mana and as well as heal wounds. And what we can earn, that is nor problem as well…” Shirou began to explain. Arturia listened well to each detail, and remembering them well.

 

The entire talk lasted for a few hours. The moment the clock struck eleven in Shirou’s watch, Arturia swiftly declares it’s time for a rest, and takes no objection from Shirou, who resigns after Arturia’s first no to his wanting of continuing the talk of the plan.

 

And thus, with a large, repeating spark of hope in their hearts, the couple slept soundly for the first time in three days on that night.

 

* * *

 

 

**_Chapter End Notes:_ **

****

**_> Sylvia isn’t an OC, but a character from the light novel/anime called Gakusen Toshi Asterisk. Her last name in there is spelled as “Lyynheym”. I had to change the spelling of that in these fic as its spelling is…so damn weird. And I couldn’t find any proper pronunciation for it, so I went with a spelling that’s not too complicated. Also, she has no revealed grandfather in the light novels/anime, so her grandpa in this fic is an OC._ **

****

**_That would be all for now._ **

****

**_See you all in the next chapter!_ **


	6. Blessings, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Eavesdropping is always a crime."

_Fate/Grand Goddess Ressurection_

_Chapter IV: “Peaceful Blessings be upon this World in Crisis”_

 

* * *

 

 

The sounds of rain and water hitting the windows echoed throughout the current room of Emiya Hikaru. The comfortable sounds, combined with the warmth of this bed, undoubtedly pasted the young magus apprentice onto his bed. As today is the first day of the 1 week rest for him and the Catalyst Dungeon Raid Team, he himself had decided to exploit this time for a good, long rest.

 

However, it was then that the young magus remembered another objective he has to fulfill. Sure, the first day of the rest week is to be used for rest only, but…for the next six days, he’s going to be busy with something important. No, it is not another Catalyst Dungeon Raid, but…

 

The next 7 days are to be spent bonding with his Servant, Berserker, or as that young woman called herself; Kiyohime, as suggested by his employer, Histoire. On that note, Hikaru’s phone, being able to connect to the Basilicom’s Nep-Fi, or in other words, this world’s WiFi, was then exploited by Hikaru in his internet research on any mythological figures named _Kiyohime._ Strangely enough, he was still able to access google and search engine sites, but he could not access social media communication sites from back home, much to his frustration. While it did put a big damper on hopes to contact his family, or at least, Jinako, the ability to search mythological figures from back home is still a big help to Hikaru’s current predicament.

The result weren’t sugars and rainbows, but they were instead black coffee and a dark storm.

 

Hikaru had encountered a lot of yanderes back on the visual novels he’s played back home, and out of all heroine types, he’d play their routes last, as playing the route of an emotionally volatile girl who’s already in love with you anyway feels so…thrilling, but not in the romantic department. It was more like Hikaru enjoyed the adrenaline each time the yandere heroine would borderline snap and threaten the character he plays as. It was as if…he was enjoying the beauty in a woman exploding with emotions…

 

However, Kiyohime is different. From what he has read on her legend, Kiyohime wasted no time going for a drama when she sensed she got dumped with a lie, and instead prompted to literally explode in flames and chase after the monk, Anchin, till the area of a temple, and burned the monk inside a bell he hid in. There was also the fact that Kiyohime was described to have transformed into a white scaled, blue-flame breathing dragon during her chase of Anchin.

 

There’s also the chill in his spine when he decided to check Kiyohime’s ‘ _Status Screen_ ’ via Histoire’s Tome. The Class Skill known as ‘ _Mad Enchantment_ ’, ranked EX for Kiyohime, was also an ambiguous source of worry for Hikaru. Since, from what he had seen of the Servant, she was nowhere ballistic and completely nuts as the description of Madness Enchantment described.

 

Could it be that…the aforementioned class skill only activates in certain situations? Like Kiyohime walking in on Hikaru in a situation not unlike in a harem anime and ending it with burning everyone and everything to ashes?

 

Hikaru shuddered at the thought. For now, he should at least carefully spend the next days getting to know his Servant, as well as to get close to her enough to know her basic thinking pattern, believing it to be a necessity for the strategies he’ll formulate for the fights to come. The young magus himself is confident in this little strategy, as it saved his ass on the yandere routes of each visual novel that contained one. Or at least, Hikaru hopes that the same tactic would work. He has never dealt with a similar psychopath in real life back home or at school, although he did hear of some similar cases from the news and as well as on the forums in 2ch.

 

His rest and contemplation, however, quickly ended at the sensation of someone shaking his shoulders gently. The touch of…soft, gentle hands warmed his body from the shoulders. It felt like those hands were treating him like a fragile, crystalline treasure that would break even at the smallest rough treatment.

 

“Hikaru-sama…please wake up. Even though it is your rest day, lazing around a little too much will be detrimental your mind and body, you know?” A warm, yet familiar voice brings Hikaru’s consciousness fully into reality, causing him to finally open his eyes, and sit up on instinct. Greeting him with a smile is Kiyohime, whose hands are still on Hikaru’s shoulders, their warmth somewhat pleasing to the young magus. However, quickly snapping out of the pleasant feeling, Hikaru quickly greets back with a smile.

 

“Ah, good morning too, Kiyohime-san. Is it already really that late?” Hikaru asked. A soft smile graced Kiyohime’s lips as her golden eyes fully met Hikaru’s emeralds, much to the surprise of the young magus, who felt like his mind went to a slight trance the moment he met Kiyohime’s eyes.

 

“It is already 10:00 when I headed for your room, Hikaru-sama. Also, please, don’t be so formal with me when we’re alone. There is no need for such things when it’s just the two of us, after all~! Feel free to call me whatever you may like.” Kiyohime replied, her tone of voice somewhat quite the mix of flirty, happy, and gentle. The sensation it left upon Hikaru’s ears was like…the after effects of a soothing, gentle music passing through. In short, the Servant’s voice was really, really pleasant to the ears. Hikaru felt quite lucky to hear such a voice upon waking up. It certainly is better than his usual alarm clock.

 

“I see. Sorry about that, having you to fetch me here, and all.” Hikaru says before stretching himself, feeling a few joints make that refreshing, popping sound. If he remembered correctly, Neptune and the others would always have breakfast on 8:00, causing a few cold sweat to roll on his back. The purple headed goddess was as much of an eater as his mother was, which means that being late to the breakfast is equivalent to…

 

“Oh, dagnabit, did you say 10:00?!” Hikaru asked in an urgent tone to Berserker, who tilted her head, smile unfading.

 

“Yes, I did, Hikaru-sama. Are you worried about breakfast?” Kiyohime asked, causing Hikaru to nod and stare at her in anticipation. The young Magus’ seriously locked eyes on her being made Kiyohime feel like her stomach was churning more flames, as is her heart, pounding and pounding louder and increasing in heat every second. It was at this very moment that an idea rose in Kiyohime’s mind…

 

“Now that I think about, that purple haired goddess was devouring the both her portion _and_ the left-overs…not to mention, she made quite the ravaging glare at the pancakes that had your name on it, Hikaru-sama.” Kiyohime remarks, causing Hikaru to silently stand up, and bolt off to the bathroom, before coming out of it, now wearing his usual blue-and-white tracksuit and shoes. Without wasting time, he gives out his first order to his Servant for the Holy Grail War…

 

“Servant Berserker, I want you to secure whatever edible food is left on the table! Snatch it out of that greedy goddess’ hands, if need be! _Pronto!_ ” With a serious expression reflecting that of Arturia’s, Hikaru opens the door and gestures to Kiyohime to start moving. The Servant, grinning happily at being relied seriously on for the first time, quickly stands up and bows.

 

“Your word is my will, Master.”

 

With that, Kiyohime bolts off at the speed of a bullet, leaving a trail of harmless blue flames behind, which would disappear when Hikaru comes near them. Her way of saying to follow her, perhaps?

 

Without wasting time, Hikaru leaves and runs as fast as he can, following the trail of flames left by his Servant. However, even as he did his best, he’ll end up late if he’ll run just like normal. That, and he needs to boost his Mana Ignition’s efficiency and duration with constant usage per day, anyway, as instructed by MAGES. Focusing his mana onto the magic circuits on his back, feeling their warmth all over it…and his lower hip area as well. The young Magus stops in surprise, stopping the flow of mana, before trying it again. To his shock, he felt the warmth of flowing mana not only on his back area, but on his lower back now as well, signifying that…

 

“My magic circuits…I’ve recovered some more of them! I’d better check up with MAGES-sensei after this and see how many I got back. This…is the best day ever! _Ignition, On!_ ”

* * *

 

The doors of the dining room made a loud echo as Hikaru slammed the door open, not out of rage, but out of fear. Fear of him losing out on the most important meal of the day. And as it stands, his fears were completely realized.

 

There was no reserved food on the table. Not even a small plate of stale bread, nor at least a glass of warm milk. Hikaru fell unto despair, his face turning pale, his knees weak, and his sweaty palms landing rather loudly on the floor along with his aforementioned knees. From afar, he looked no different from the unfortunate “ _protagonist_ ” of a _Netorare_ doujin series, complete with a depressing atmosphere around him.

 

“This…so this is what failure feels like, huh?” Hikaru muttered under his breath, with each syllable quite heavy with depression…

 

“Quite unpleasant to be faced with this, is it not? Shall this serve a reminder to wake up early tomorrow, my dear Master?” Kiyohime declares as she walks up from behind Hikaru, her voice being quite the odd mix of admonishing and teasing at the same time. Meanwhile, Hikaru gave her a blank stare, before nodding emptily and going back to staring at the ground. His Servant could only make a short sigh before going by her Master’s side and kneeling in front him…to initiate the main phase of her own little scheme.

 

“Too bad you missed the breakfast Compa-san cooked. But…I can cook something for you instead, Hikaru-sama.” Kiyohime says, whilst slowly and gently raising her Master’s face by the cheeks. The pleasant, warm sensation quickly took Hikaru’s attention away from his despair, and felt his heartbeat increase in pace as he makes eye contact with his Servant once more. While it did felt nice, there, too, was this rather…chilling sensation that itched from the back of his mind, as if…as if telling him that he is about to pour an entire tank of gas onto a very flammable sea of flowers…while holding a lit match in his other hand.

 

“Well, Hikaru-sama? Shall I cook something for you? Or should we just hold ourselves back and just settle with tea for now?” The ever faithful Berserker asked, her eyes giving off a warm glow to the one witnessing it. Now that she thought about it, Kiyohime hadn’t asked her Master about his drinking preferences. Could it be that he likes tea as much as she does? Or maybe he’s into that western concoction called coffee? Or maybe, as fitting for a young man in his early teens, a cup of a hot, melted chocolate mixed with thick, creamy milk is more of his style?

 

Hikaru, meanwhile, felt his chest jump. While this was not the first time a girl other than the ones at his house gave him something they cooked, this was the first time he got offered with it. The thought of someone legendary and beautiful like Kiyohime actually cooking something for him actually caused him to mentally jump in joy…and regain his clarity of the mind and think of the situation carefully. Back in his eroges, the event where the heroine offers to cook something for the protagonist is the part where the heroine uses the cooking as her way of showing a heavy dose of her affections. Normally, this kind of event…

 

…takes place far late into the aforementioned heroine’s route. Nearly endgame, even for the dere-dere childhood friend heroines.

 

No matter how he looks at it, even from outside an erogamer’s perspective, Kiyohime is _way too affectionate for someone who hasn’t even started a relationship._ Accepting her cooking would mean saying yes to a very subtle way of a lady asking _‘Do you want to be with me?’_ And taking into consideration the Servant by his side, that thought gave a…somewhat happy feeling. But, at the same time, the thought of rejecting Kiyohime for his own survival avoiding getting her attached felt like something that might bite his ass in the long-run, and making him feel like a heartless jerk in general. Rejecting a girl’s offer of cooking has a tendency to cause heavy damage to the heart of the girl offering, and a legendary yandere getting rejected isn’t exactly the best investment in a relationship…

 

Hell, he might even die before seeing an enemy Servant or meet their master…

 

…and wait, why is he thinking of this whole thing as investing in a relationship in the first place?!

 

“…Alright then. I guess I’ll eat what you can cook, Kiyohime-san.” Hikaru replied, his hunger preventing him from fully making an expressional tone of voice and face, much to Kiyohime’s joy. To be relied on by her husba-… _master_ this early, it felt wonderful for the Berserker. Standing up, she reaches out a hand to the hungry Master on the floor, a smile clearly visible on Kiyohime’s face.

 

“Well, then, please stand up, and go wait at the dining table, my dear master. Breakfast will be in a bit~!” Kiyohime says the last part in a sing-song tone, as it was the very same moment that Hikaru grabbed her hands. Her master’s hands were warm and gentle in its grip, a sensation Kiyohime enjoyed even more for a split second when she helped her master up. Taking a deep breath, Hikaru then faces his Servant, looking her in the eyes as he spoke with a big, heartfelt smile on his face.

 

“Thanks, Kiyohime-san. I’ll be looking forward to whatever you’ll be cooking!” Hikaru says, his earlier fears somewhat diminished as his mind returned to the thought of food, just like a certain someone, and causing a bit of cheer to return to his mind as he headed for one of the seats of the dining table. Meanwhile, after witnessing such a spectacle, Kiyohime was practically skipping in happiness on the way to the kitchen, humming gladly as she did so.

* * *

 

On the bright areas of the workshop, MAGES sat on the main table, skimming on a book that had a gray colored leather cover. The book, being rather thick in size, is entitled “Sword Artes: Starter Levels, Basics, and Fundamentals”. A short humming can be heard from the Master Magus as she flipped through the pages. From what she got from seeing Hikaru’s earlier fights, it appears that he is indeed capable of being a spellcaster, proven by his capability of learning a basic defense reinforcement spell, one offensive spell, and a small but useful healing spell through a 2 month crash course. But, taking note of what happened last time, MAGES thought that her apprentice would benefit more and have a larger chance of survival if he were to learn and advance through Sword Artes, with spellcasting as his secondary arsenal, with MAGES having taken into consideration her apprentice’s main way of combat.

 

Having no offensive Artes when he fought one-on-one against that white scaled snake back then, Hikaru would’ve died quickly on that fight had the monster not been wounded fatally by the party’s combined efforts in the preemptive strike before it and Hikaru fell down the shrine’s hollow floor.

 

While Hikaru’s _Mana Ignition_ is undoubtedly reliable, and a Servant is indeed a great bodyguard, there might be times an enemy might find ways to separate the Master and the Heroic Spirit. And, in turn, that would be the time where a Master’s survival ability is put to the test. What better way to enhance that survival ability with a lot of preparations?

 

A magus wielding a staff must heavily lean on Spellcast and Runic Artes. A magus wielding guns must focus on Bullet Artes. A magus wielding a shield must focus on Shield Artes and Support Artes. A Magus with a sword, obviously, must focus on Sword Artes, before branching out to other Artes.

 

That’s not even to mention that Artes that are based on Physical Attacks have two variations, namely, Martial Artes and Surge Artes. The former have a very quick start-up to all its variations, making it the most advisable to chain with regular attacks or as a starting attack, or as a feint or even in a poking tactic. The latter, while a bit slower in its start-up, is much more heavily imbued with mana, making it outright hard hitting, and with skill and training, are even commonly used to strategically nullify and plow through Martial Artes attacks by the enemy, as well as a foolproof finishing strike.

 

What is common between the two Arte types, however, is that both of them can be used with any element, and the elemental variations doesn’t even require elemental affinities for the user unlike Spellcast Artes. An example like allowing a swordsman or any melee Artes fighter with earth affinity to use Martial Artes and Surge Artes with Fire, Wind, and Earth Elements, allowing a versatile fighting against any enemy with or without elemental weaknesses, as well as allowing an opportunity to exploit the environmental conditions on the fly, like using a Fire Elemental Martial Arte against an enemy inside a place full of volatile plants, or using a Water or Ice Surge Arte against a human enemy in the middle of an already freezing mountaintop.

 

The Master Magus sighed. Why didn’t she realize sooner? As the master, she should have realized the most compatible set of skills for her apprentice. She should have not gotten too obsessed with passing down her own original spells before letting her apprentice learn his path of Magic, as that will properly prepare him to learn those original spells. To think she forgot this basic little trivia in Teaching Magic…

 

“Alright. Looks like there’s going to be quite a change in the lesson plans. Sword Artes…I should have him crash coursed through the basics AND the intermediate levels before he returns to Spellcast Artes. He’d at least live a little longer with that…hopefully. My original spells can wait for a little _biiiiit_ more…”

 

MAGES then gives a glance to the other Sword Artes books on the table. Each one had a color coding based on the elements they represent. Red for Fire Element Sword Artes, Blue for Water Elemental Sword Artes, Brown for Earth Elemental Sword Artes, and Green for Wind Elemental Sword Artes, while the gray colored one on MAGES’ hands is the most basic one, the Non-Elemental Sword Artes.

 

MAGES gives a quick look on the book in her hands, before taking a look at the window of her workshop. Sighing as she makes the decision of changing lesson plans, the Master Magus closes the book she holds, takes the Water Elemental Artes Book as well, and carries it with her as she leaves, heading for the elevator that leads to the Basilicom.

 

“Well, I’d better give him this book. His assignment this week is to learn _Heavenly Torrent, Aqua Blade, Sword Rain,_ _Sonic Thrust_ , _Tiger Blade_ , _Tri-Hawk_ , and _Starfall_ before the week ends!” Like a slave driving CEO about to get her whip, MAGES cackled with sadistic glee at the amount of Artes she’s set _and_ about to set for her apprentice as she entered the elevator, and pressed the button for the top floor, where Histoire’s room lies…

* * *

 

Histoire couldn’t believe her eyes.

 

When the Servant Class listed said Berserker, the records weren’t kidding. When the Oracle of Planeptune decided to use her abilities of reading through the history of an existence embedded onto her world, with the newly acquired Servant as her target, she knew her hunch about the matter was on the spot.

 

The Servant named Kiyohime has a rather sorrowful history, which in turn, ended with her dealing away with the pain in flames, and it was this aforementioned event in her life that gave shape to the most dangerous skill she has as a Servant: the EX-Ranked Madness Enchantment, one born of delusion where she believes her current master is her reincarnated lover, the monk Anchin. Which, in turn, should she have doubts about the master, catch him in an uncompromising or intimate situation with another female, or found out that her Master lied to her, it is a hundred-percent guaranteed that the Master will die in a bell burnt down in flames.

 

That very last line gave Histoire a large worry over Hikaru’s future state as the Goddess’s Champion. Seeing Neptune’s antics, and the amount of females Hikaru will have to deal in the nearby future, Histoire felt that this problem needs a nipping in the bud.

 

The Oracle pondered. Is there…a way to nullify the effects of the Madness Enchantment? Or if that is not possible, is there at least a way to weaken it to the point that Hikaru’s safety is assured? There are still 6 more Servants to gather, and what if most of them are female, too? Will she risk sabotaging her world’s future thanks to a legendary madwoman’s jealous tantrums? No, she can’t afford such failures.

 

Histoire opened her Tome once more, this time, targeting the ‘ _Holy Grail System_ ’ that has been etched unto the world, the words appearing on top of the page she has opened. And from the amount of information her Tome of the World is now processing…

 

…It apparently will take three days for her to access such information.

 

However, Histoire still believes all hope must not be lost. Other than her Tome of the World, another way to get info on Servants, at least the ones on her side, is the visit the Mediator of the Holy Grail War. The one who summoned a base of neutrality in the form of floating island that stood in the middle of all four continents of Gameindustri…the castle of the one known as Servant Ruler. As it will take three days for her own Tome of the World to decipher the Grail War and its Servant’s information, the Mediator’s knowledge should be enough for the meantime.

 

And thus, Histoire decided, that a visit to the Mediator’s castle is in order for this afternoon. Now that she thought about it, she was supposed to take Hikaru and Kiyohime to the Mediator, as it was part of the Mediator’s instructions that the Masters of both Planeptune and Lastation should head to her after each Servant they summon and acquire.

 

Now then, for reviewing those letters from Chaldea…

 

Before anything else could be researched, however, the doorbell of Histoire’s room rang, causing the Oracle to twitch in surprise. After sighing and taking a few deep breaths, Histoire heads for the door, before pressing a green button beside it. The door slides open, revealing MAGES, carrying two books in her arms and wearing a rather sadistic smirk on her face.

 

“Greetings, Histoire. Have you seen my apprentice? He has not dropped by the workshop this morning…” MAGES says, her head tilting a bit to the side.

 

It was by that moment, an idea sparked in Histoire’s mind. Maybe, if she had a Master Magus as her aide, then-

 

“Ah, welcome, MAGES-san. I haven’t seen Hikaru-kun, unfortunately, but I did leave him some pancakes to eat at the dining room, so he might be there.” Histoire replied, causing MAGES to look rather tired, “However, on that note, I have something I need your help for, Master Magus. Will you listen to my request?” Histoire finished, causing MAGES to perk up in interest. Something that the Oracle needs a Master Magus for? Now that’s something she cannot ignore.

 

“Pray tell, what is it you need my assistance for, Histoire-san?”

* * *

 

“That…was truly amazing, Kiyohime-san!” Hikaru loudly declared in pure bliss, completely satisfied from the cooking he just ate, courtesy of his Servant. It was not to the level of his father’s, but, the taste of the food, coupled with the knowledge of the fact that it was made with affection by a beautiful lady, Hikaru finally understood why those chat-mates of the online games he played are completely obsessed about a cute girl cooking something for them.

 

While this isn’t the first time he ate a cute girl’s cooking, none of the ones given to him by his female schoolmates matched against the radiance and warmth of Kiyohime’s cooking. It was…as if comparing a school bus to a Dodge Viper sports car. Well, not that he dislikes the ones from his schoolmates, but, they certainly lack something that Kiyohime’s cooking has.

 

By all admittance, Hikaru could only imagine the heavenly feast that might occur if his father and Kiyohime ever decided to collaborate in cooking…

 

…The thought of his parents made Hikaru felt a pang of worry. Are they alright? Hikaru could only fear how they might be frantically searching for him right now. Being taken to this place against his will…Hikaru would’ve run away long if the purpose of the kidnapping was for shits and giggles, but, Neptune proved him wrong. He wasn’t sent over here for fun, but for a greater purpose. To save the world…Hikaru just couldn’t fathom the thought of abandoning an entire planet into a crisis. But at the same time, he also couldn’t fathom the thought of leaving his parents without any words and making them panic.

 

“Is that so, Hikaru-sama? I’m glad to hear it~!” Kiyohime replied. A complement from her dear master…it made the Berserker almost celebrate rather vocally, barely holding herself out of her own efforts to maintain her image as a Servant. It is too early to reveal things at this stage, Kiyohime thought. For now, she will have to settle with just cooking and her own small smiles of victory.

 

…After all, she wouldn’t want her master to start freaking out now, doesn’t she?

 

“Yep, it really is! If father and mother tasted this, I’m sure they’ll say the same too.” Hikaru says to the Servant, who suddenly felt her chest jump and did not feel her face becoming rather red. At the same time, the Master realized the implications of his words, and quickly decided to think of a way to defuse it before making things even worse. Seriously, why does his mouth shoot out the worst things to say at a time like this? Is this gonna end up like that time he unintentionally rejected that one beautiful senpai of his?!

 

“Well, my father is a Five-Star Cook, and my mom is a professional gourmet, you see. Any food tasting comment from them is really genuine and always hits the nail on the head.” Hikaru interjected, earning him a thoughtful look from Kiyohime, who later nods and gives her Master a small, genuine smile. By his own admittance, however, that part about Arturia being a gourmet was a lie. She was just one hell of an eater, although quite strict on the taste.

 

“I see. They sound like amazing people… _I do look forward to meeting them and cooking for them_ , Hikaru-sama.” Kiyohime commented with a smile, much to Hikaru’s exasperation. What was supposed to be a swerve away from the subject only became the shortcut to what he thinks is the worst result. Why does this sort of misfortune always seem to strike him? Hikaru pondered as he tried to think of a reply to Kiyohime’s words. Now that he thought about it…he still hasn’t gotten the time to explore Planeptune. And he also hasn’t thought up of a plan to start bonding with Kiyohime as Histoire instructed…

 

At that moment, a plan struck Hikaru’s mind.

 

“Say, I’m…uh…planning to explore the city of Planeptune if it stops raining three days from now. You see, Neptune and the others are a little too busy to give me a proper tour, so, I decided that I should just do the exploration myself. Wanna join me on my little trip by then, Kiyohime-san?” Hikaru says, albeit feeling a little nervous on asking his Servant. It wasn’t hard with other girls, but, Kiyohime and her unnatural beauty gave Hikaru quite the hurdle. Even just properly maintaining his casual tone of voice was a little hard and had some stutters. The fact that he has never asked out a girl older than he is counts to this inexperience and nervousness as well. Hikaru could not help but get the feeling he looks hilarious and might get laughed at even by his own Servant for his…love-struck schoolboy lines. _Damn it, I really should’ve tried dating someone older at least a few months ago_ , he thought.

 

Meanwhile, Kiyohime, absorbing her Master’s words, could only stare at him wide-eyed and mouth hanging in unexpected surprise. Is she not hallucinating? Is she really hearing those words right now? Her thoughts ran in a web of chaos. _I can’t believe it. What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to react? Where am I supposed to get the proper Kimono just for this?_  Kiyohime couldn’t even get out of her own celebrative thoughts at the moment…

 

“Kiyohime-san? You still there? Did I say something wrong?”

 

…Until she hears her Master’s voice again, that is.

 

“Oh…ah! Of course, I would be happy to join you, Hikaru-sama! I…was just…catching my breath for a moment there, ‘tis all! I would be honored to be by your side on your trip.” Kiyohime declares, her mannerism slowly switched from over-excited schoolgirl to the calm, smiling _Yamato Nadeshiko_ she normally is. Meanwhile, Hikaru mentally felt his soul jump in shock. He really succeeded?! He didn’t get laughed at?! _Holy crap, I really pulled it off! With someone older than I am too, for the record! This is a miracle!_ Hikaru thought. _Phew, now that the phase 1 of the plan is done…_ This should enable him to interact with his Servant in a clearer, personal way. As part of his duty, and as well as his own personal interest, Hikaru made sure to make a mental note to enjoy his _first date ever._ Sure, there’s still Histoire’s instructions, but, at the same time, he should take a small break here and there. And this rest week is already one helluva opportunity for the Master…

* * *

 

Meanwhile, eavesdropping at the door of the dining room are Neptune, IF, Compa, and Tia, with the first three closely planting their ears at the door’s surface. A different expression is planted on the faces of each person. A smirk on Neptune’s, a look of surprise and disbelief on IF, a complete blush on Compa’s and a blank one on Tia’s.

 

Neptune felt proud of what her Champion managed to pull off, seeing that he didn’t need someone’s hand to guide him or smack him when it comes to interacting with the opposite gender. The goddess was relieved that she didn’t pick up one of those dense, shonen manga genre characters, or an Ich*ka Orimura clone. IF, at the same time, was completely taken by surprise on how the obvious otaku actually managed to ask a girl out and have a social life, while Compa is being Compa and is simply feeling embarrassed the same way anyone would when watching an awkward confession scene from their favorite romance animes.

 

Tia, however, had quite a disapproving look on her face.

 

“Aaawwww…someone’s actually enjoying their time. Ahh, youth! To be _young_ and _be in love again_!” Neptune whispered a little too loudly, earning her the undivided attention of everyone else around her.

_Wait, what did she mean by that?! Is she actually admitting her actual age? Just how old is she?! And is she implying that she fell in love once, too?!_ Everyone’s thoughts were the same at the time. The very thought of Neptune falling in love was the same as imagining cats and dogs finally being at peace with each other and even running a world-wide campaign for peace between animals and breaking the laws of the food chain amongst all animals.

 

In short, it was unfathomable and outright impossible to even imagine.

 

A look of un-amusement crossed Neptune’s face, “You know, I can’t help but get the feeling that you people are having some really rude thoughts right now.”

 

“Huh?! What are you taking about? We’re not thinking you’re actually a loli granny at all! Totally not! It-it’s not like we were planning to offer a massage to your knees and shoulders after this or anything!” IF replied…while not looking Neptune in the eye.

 

“You’re using the tsundere routine in the wrong sentence and situation, Nepu!” The goddess retorted, before giving her friend a glare. Neptune then proceeded to look at Compa, who twitched in surprise.

 

“Ye-yes, we wouldn’t think of doing something like that! It’s just that it reminded me of how grandpa talked back home!” Compa replied, causing Neptune to look at her is disbelief.

 

“You just indirectly called me an old lady, didn’t you?!” Neptune complained. Compa could only reply in a set of sheepish laughs while avoiding eye contact with the goddess. Not seeing any semblance of hope in her two friends, Neptune turns her attention to Tia.

 

The disapproving look on the horned woman’s face quickly switched to that of an evil, cruel smirk as she spoke in her usual monotone voice, but this time, she no longer had her usual pauses in her sentences, “…Are your knees and hips still doing alright, _granny_? Would you like a massage on the back, too?”

 

Neptune fell on her knees.

 

“You’re downright brutal compared to those two, Nepu!” Neptune complained. Seriously, why does it feel like everyone is roasting her today?! Did she eat someone else’s pancakes again?!

 

Oh, wait, she did.

 

“What are you people doing?”

 

The four arguing people went pale, as they caught the sigh of an un-amused Kiyohime, looking at them with contempt from the opened door of the dining room. Blue colored flames were dancing around the Servant, an alarming sign for the four people involved. Luck certainly isn’t with them today, Neptune thought.

 

“Uhh, were about to enter, and you opened the door! That’s totally it!” Neptune replied, causing IF to palm her face in disappointment. Out of all people in this hallway, Neptune was the one that sucked the most at lying, as IF had experienced a long time before. The evidence for that is proven when Kiyohime _smiled sweetly_ as the flames around her intensified. At that moment, all four eavesdroppers knew that fooling around with the woman known as Kiyohime was a dangerous gamble. With their lives as the chips.

 

“Not even going to apologize, I see. Eavesdropping on people in their private moments is common norm around here, I take it? Hikaru-sama, I would like to ask permission to unleash my _Noble Phantasm._ ” Kiyohime asked her Master, who was a few steps from behind her, his expression a mix of unhappy and embarrassed at being seen during a state he’d rather not get seen in. Glaring at Neptune and IF, he takes a deep breath…

 

“Go ahead and do it, whatever that is. Just silence all witnesses. Except for Tia-san, IF, and Compa-san. And also, please avoid damaging any part of the Basilicom.” Hikaru gave his command.

 

“Understood. _Unleashing Noble Phantasm…_ ”

 

Seeing a torrent of blue flames form around Kiyohime, Neptune went from Goddess of War to Olympic Sprinter two seconds flat, while IF fell down the floor face first, having fallen unconscious from too much relief at the thought of not being the target of the Servant’s wrath. Meanwhile, Tia had dragged Compa all the way to the kitchen and showed her a recipe for Black Sambo, which Compa then decided to cook for everyone. Hikaru looked at them with disbelief from the main door of the dining room, outright surprised at how quickly they recovered from almost getting roasted, and being generally relaxed like they suddenly forgot about Neptune. Is the goddess getting her just desserts a common sight around here?

 

Meanwhile, Neptune screamed all sorts of profanities as she finds herself chased by a gigantic, dragon shaped azure flame that flew through the air as if it was alive, its eyes of crimson flames adding more horror to the spectacle.

 

On that day, Neptune, for the first time, swore to never make fun of all the track and field players she saw on TV and internally asked forgiveness for calling them characters whose only redeeming feature in life is running away…

* * *

 

_A few hours later…_

Hikaru, Kiyohime, Histoire are all gathered in the underground altar of Planeptune’s Basilicom, while Neptune couldn’t join as Histoire caught her slacking off and made her do this week’s paper works for the government of Planeptune. IF, Compa, and MAGES are made to watch over her and make sure she works, while Tia insisted to prepare today’s dinner, leaving them back in the Basilicom’s premises.

 

In front of the three is a teleportation glyph etched onto the ground, glowing with a bright golden color. A grand, regal feeling can be felt from just looking at the light that the glyph has released. Histoire clears her throat, getting everyone’s attention and eyes.

 

“As part of our duties in the Holy Grail War, we must present our Servant to the Mediator after each time we retrieve and summon them from the Catalyst Dungeons, to prove our progress and dedication to save the world. This process is to be repeated till we fully summon all seven Heroic Spirits and are completely ready to properly face off against Lastation’s Champion and Servants. While indeed declared to be voluntary, a single command seal in granted for each freshly summoned Servant presented. Hikaru-kun, you already know how important those Seals in your hands are by now, right?” Histoire asked the Master, who gives her an affirming nod, much to her relief. Taking a deep breath, the Will of the World speaks once more.

 

“Then all is well. As the Mediator’s duty of being neutral to both Planeptune and Lastation, her base of operations must be away from either of those two nations. Which is why, there is now a never-before seen floating island with a gigantic castle found in the area between all four main nations of Gameindustri. As there is a protective barrier around it to prevent it from being seen by normal people and to prevent intruders, the only way to go there is by being given access by the Mediator herself, which is a Royal Glyph. And yes, before you ask, it is the very same one etched on the ground in front of us. Any more questions?” Histoire pointed out to the golden glyph.

 

“I have one, Histoire-san.” Hikaru says, raising one of his hands before letting them down, “This Mediator…is she a human? A mage like MAGES-sensei?”

 

Histoire shook her head, “No, she isn’t human, nor a mage. She’s a special class of Servant, known as Ruler. Her main duty is to prevent any unwanted method in the process of the Holy Grail War from being utilized, as well as to pacify any Servants who go out of line from their duties in the War. As for what those rules are specifically, I’m afraid we’ll have to ask her ourselves.”

 

“I see. Unwanted methods, huh?” Hikaru pondered. What could those methods be, that thye are something that’s basically the equivalent of breaking the law in general and would need a body of authority to stop them? Heroic Spirits possibly going nuts, sure, he can see that, as he literally has a Servant called Berserker. There might be a possibility that they might go over the line and hurt many innocents, so of course, they had to be stopped with someone powerful. But…still. These ‘ _Unwanted Methods’_ …

 

No, he shouldn’t think of something like utilizing them to win. But…the world itself is at stake. From this kind of situation, there’s no doubt the enemy faction would possibly use them. No, not that Hikaru himself wishes to do so, but…a last resort should things go awry would be great.

 

…Even if that last resort should be one of those ‘ _Unwanted Methods_ ’.

 

He can’t die here, after all.

 

“Alright, now that we are ready, Hikaru-kun, Kiyohime-san, please step on the Glyph.” Histoire says, causing the Master and the Servant to nod, and follow her instructions. Stepping on the glyph, Hikaru felt his body being caressed by warmth, as the glyph’s light grew even stronger. And then, when Histoire enters the area of the glyph, a pillar of light swallows the three.

 

The pillar of light fades a moment after, leaving only the glyph itself…

* * *

 

Warm winds flew by in the gardens of Castle Camelot. The flowers and the other beautiful plants swayed around happily, much to the glee of the female Servant watching them. Nothing did calm her heart more than watching this beautiful forms of life, after all.

 

The winds, however, suddenly took to a different direction. Small leaves flew and bounced off the Servant’s pearl white skin, with her hip-length long, braided brown hair and face-length bangs, and her ornately decorated gown swaying to the sudden rhythmic change in the air. And in that moment, a pillar of purple light shone in the middle of the gardens, signifying the arrival of Planeptune’s Champion and their Servant.

 

Watching the pillar of light with her bright blue eyes, Ruler sighed in relief, seeing that it was no rude intruder like that…Arfoire person. An oddball, that one was by all admittance, Ruler thought.

 

Ruler raised her right hand, summoning forth a table with four chairs around it, with a kettle of tea and four cups accompanying it set upon the table. Holy Grail War or not, Ruler has made it so that politeness and etiquette must be observed at all times, and as such, all visitors to her castle must be given utmost hospitality.

 

She takes a seat and a cup of tea, waiting for the pillar to disintegrate and show the second Divine Champion to visit her castle.

 

The moment the pillar does disintegrate, it left the Oracle of Planeptune whom Ruler recognized, a woman in Japanese clothes with a Mana Signature signifying her status as a Servant, and…

 

_…Is that…it cannot be!_

The moment the third person fully appeared, an entire mountain of painful memories resurfaced in Ruler’s mind. Tears were threatening to fall off her eyes had she not did her best to hold them back.

 

_This…this is impossible! Is this really her?! From what I remember, my dear **King** was-_

The third person of the summoned group finally opened his eyes, and accidentally stared at Ruler, no doubt somewhat entranced by her beauty.

 

And then, Ruler and the Master made eye contact, allowing the former to fully see the features of the Champion of Planeptune’s face. The frighteningly familiar Mana Signature flowing from the latter made things worse for Ruler’s heart.

 

_No, no, no! That face, that body shape! It…it…it’s perfectly the same as back then! And that sword hanging from behind that person…is that not Caliburn?!_

 

At that moment, Servant Ruler, a beautiful woman known in history once as Queen Guinevere, dropped her cup of tea in complete shock.

* * *

 

_Chapter End_

* * *

 


	7. Blessings, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, even what is supposed to be the greatest of miracles can yield the most painful results.

* * *

 

  _Chapter IV: “Peaceful Blessings be upon this World in Crisis, Part 2”_

* * *

 

“Greetings, Servant Ruler. It has been a while.” Histoire greets politely, giving forth a small smile and a barely noticeable nod as she talked.

 

Ruler gave back her own smile and nod, before looking at the two people behind Histoire, and looking back at the fairy-like tome, “Yes, it has indeed been a while. It has been at least two months since you visited. Now…I take it that the two people behind you are your…Champion and his Servant?” Ruler asked, tilting her head a bit to the side, an action that somewhat caused the blond haired Champion behind Histoire to twitch, much to the rather…well-hidden ire of the Servant beside him, causing her to move herself in front of the Champion without a warning, as if trying to cover away her Master from Ruler’s sight. A surprised ‘ _Huh?!_ ’ can be heard from behind the kimono-clad Servant.

 

_Oh, my, quite feisty for her Master’s attention isn’t she? How adorable of her,_ Ruler thought as she looked at the Servant who gave her quite the jealous glare, while Histoire cleared her throat. As if reading what that meant, Kiyohime hesitantly moved herself from Hikaru’s frontal line of sight, and returned by his side, her glare unfading. Such possessiveness…will the Master be alright throughout the course of this War? Ruler mentally asked herself.

 

“Yes, you guessed it correctly. Ruler, this two behind me are the Champion who fights for Planeptune, and his first Servant out of Seven.” Histoire began, before pausing. Hikaru and Kiyohime took that as their cue to start talking.

 

“I’m Emiya Hikaru, a first year hishchool boy, and the…Champion of Planeptune, as well as the Master of Berserker. Nice to meet you, Ruler-san!” Hikaru nervously greeted, whilst doing what he can to sound polite. It was no different from a hormonal student attempting to greet his new, hot cram school tutor…and failing magnificently.

 

“I’m Servant Berserker. Likewise.” Kiyohime greeted, her tone polite…and somewhat sounding venomous. However, before she could continue, Hikaru patted her on the shoulder gently, causing the Servant to focus on him. The Master appears to have whispered something to Berserker, which then caused the latter to blush a bit and cause herself to suddenly lose the angered, jealous look, and she started to pout at her Master instead, causing Hikaru to wave his hands in front of him and said something to Kiyohime in a gentle manner, causing the Servant to cross her arms and look away while still pouting.  
  
Histoire cleared her throat, causing both the Servant and Master to return their attention to the current matter, with Hikaru showing an embarrassed smile to Ruler, and Berserker having the stoic, but still slightly red face.

 

Ruler gave them both a heartfelt, amused smile. Even if it was just for a moment, she got a gist of the two’s compatibility, and how their respective personalities complement each other. By her own conclusion, Ruler believes that Berserker just might the most trustworthy Servant that will never backstab her Master…probably.

 

“Nice to meet you, Hikaru-kun, and Berserker-san. I welcome you to my abode, the castle of Camelot. And yes, before you ask, I am indeed a queen related to the legend surrounding this very castle. Can you guess who, dear Champion and Berserker of Velvet? Please give me your answer after you’ve taken a seat.” Ruler offered, gesturing to the table and chairs that stood quietly in the flower garden, prompting the three visitors to nod at each other and take the aforementioned seats. As soon as everyone was confortable,

 

Hikaru took a deep breath, and decides to look at Ruler via eye contact, unable to sense the slight surprise and depression Ruler felt, something which only became worse each time Hikaru meets eyes with hers. The boy’s face…it was painful for Ruler to take a long look at. Just who is he? A descendant of the King? It can’t be. From her own knowledge as the Queen, King Arthur never had any children with her, nor with anyone else, other than a disgusting clone from ‘his’ own sister. And from what knowledge she has gathered from modern history, Mordred did not have any children either.

 

Oh, fate, why must you torment me so, Ruler thought.

 

“Hmm…you know, there are only a few women back in the most common portrayal of King Arthur’s legend, and only an even fewer of them are of nobility, and even more so that only one of them is actually pretty famous, thanks to her _hardcore royal cucking_ - ** _wait_** , I mean, for her romantic accidents. So if I were to make a rather obvious guess…” Hikaru began, “You’re Queen Guinevere, right?” Hikaru finished, causing Guinevere look at him with an unreadable face, while Kiyohime quickly shot her eyes at Ruler with alarm. To think that this dignified woman in front of her is…one of the most infamous cheaters in history…Kiyohime decided that she must keep her eyes close to Ruler’s actions from this moment onwards.

 

A _Royal Slut_ like Queen Guinevere…they’re the worst things to happen upon a man, Kiyohime thought, feeling empathy for King Arthur, believing that the poor King to must’ve felt the same way she did with her previous…Anchin-sama.  

 

As such, Berserker swore she won’t let the filthy Queen come near Hikaru within a 5 meter radius.

 

“You guessed correctly, Dear Champion of Velvet. And…no need to mince words with me. I know how grave are the sins I’ve committed during my time. And by my own admittance, I have no excuse, nor do I have the right to make any. Not with…what had transpired.” Saying that, Ruler stood up, forcing with all of her willpower and fighting all pain just to maintain eye contact with Hikaru. To think that someone with the very same face as the King would finally call her out on her crimes…Guinevere was truly confused as to whether to consider this as finally being given punishment for her sins, or simply a sample of an incoming storm. However, all these confusion and pain hid themselves behind a dignified curtain as Ruler spoke, “I am indeed Queen Guinevere of Camelot. A pleasure to meet you, Champion Hikaru. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I, too, would like to ask a question of my own.” Ruler says, before taking a seat in the same dignified manner as she spoke, befitting a Queen, causing a slight tension for Histoire and Kiyohime, even with the Berserker’s apparent dislike of the queen. Hikaru feels the tension, but not in the same restrictive fashion as his companions, but, it was rather…nostalgic. The aura around Guinevere, it…felt too familiar for Hikaru, and yet can’t remember where it was from or when did he felt something similar to this atmosphere. The dignified air, the tone which she spoke with…it was…

 

Oh, wait, she was talking to him. Hikaru shook off the nostalgic thoughts from his mind, and took a deep breath, “Yes, you can ask me anything.”

 

“And before you go there, then yes, he’s already taken.” Kiyohime chipped in like a hungry wolf getting its territorial instincts on, much to everyone’s surprise. Especially Hikaru.

 

“Wait, what?!” Hikaru retorted in surprise, only for Kiyohime look back at him…with hearts in her eyes…?!

 

“Fufu. Don’t worry, Dear Berserker. Getting into a relationship with a young man, much less a Champion in this Holy Grail War, would be the last thing I would resort to. I have my duties of neutrality after all.” Ruler assured, making Kiyohime sigh with a distrust filled relief.

 

“Oh, is that so? That’s good to hear then. The last thing I’d want for my master would be for him catching diseases.” Kiyohime retorted, causing Hikaru’s irises to shrink and his jaw to drop, Histoire to jump from her seat, and Ruler to give the Berserker a blank face. An awkward silence ensued.

 

“ _Holy Shit! No chill, Kiyohime! You got no chill!_ ” Hikaru quickly gulped and took a deep breath, racking his brain on what to do. At situations like these, one must make sure to get the conversation back on track in the calmest way possible, and thus…a calm intervension is on the call.

 

“Ah, Ruler-san, what were you about to ask, again? I will answer with the best of my abilities.” Hikaru chipped in this time around, his voice miraculously sounding calm and dignified, reflecting that of how his mother would sound like when talking to non-family members. A slightly cold, and very professional manner of speaking and tone of voice coupled with a stoic face. Even Hikaru himself could not believe he actually pulled it off. Now then, maybe that one line will absolve this tension, Hikaru hoped…

 

…And yet, Ruler suddenly looked like someone just splashed her with a tub of ice cold water.

 

“ _Oh, shit. I f*cked up, didn’t I?!_ ” Hikaru mentally panicked behind his stoic face, complete with cold sweat raining down his back.

 

However, contrary to what he thought, Ruler just…let out a small relieved sigh, as if she just found something familiar that calmed her down, which confused Hikaru. At that moment, Ruler’s eyes cleared up and became bright once more. Taking a deep breath, she decides to move on and proceed with what’s at hand.  
  
“Ahem, of course, I do have some questions to ask. In exchange, I shall make sure to answer any questions you have as well.” Ruler began, her  unbound, “Can you tell me more about yourself? Just share all that you deem necessary.” Ruler asks, with a genuinely gentle smile, giving Hikaru the most needed relief and go signal that says everything is calm now. Taking a deep breath of his own, Hikaru starts his self-introduction.

 

“Well…I’m 15 years old, and an incoming first year high school student at Homurahara High, and I live in the northern end of Miyama Town in Fuyuki City. My specialty is in Kendo, with no losses so far all the way to the regional fights, and I’m currently, well, supposedly in training for the National Levels. My hobby is videogames, especially story heavy RPG’s and eroga-I mean, Visual Novels. I’m the son of Emiya Shirou and Emiya Arturia, and I have no siblings. Umm…that’s all I can tell, I guess?” Hiakru finished. The sounds of scribbling can be heard, as Kiyohime was listing literally everything Hikaru just said. Meanwhile, Ruler gave a nod of satisfaction, albeit, the moment she heard about the name of Hikaru’s parents, her eyebrow twitched. A idea popped itself into her mind, and at the same time, her curiousness strengthened…and it got powered even more by a sense of…longing. A longing to see if her theory is right. A confirmation she desperately desires.

 

And thus…

 

“Then, Champion Hikaru, I know this might be too much, but, can you show me a…portrait of your parents, if you have any?” Ruler asked without skipping a beat.

 

“Oh, it’s alright. Gimme a minute.” Hikaru replied.

 

He was surprised for a second there, but recovered rather quickly and managed to absorb Ruler’s words properly. He whips it out, and opening its locks, Hikaru quickly accesses his phone’s gallery, and went for the Camera album. He swipes downwards, scrolling through the pictures till he finally finds what he was looking for; a picture of him and his parents at an underground aquarium. He then wastes no time handing the phone to Ruler who looks at it with fervor…

 

“ _I can’t believe it…this woman in the picture…she…she’s!_ ” Ruler mentally panicked. The blond haired woman in the picture…it was as if Guinevere was looking at a well grown Arthur. Her hands nearly trembled. Taking her thoughts together for a moment, Guinevere managed to take a deep breath and ask another question to Hikaru.

 

“Forgive my curiosity, Champion Hikaru, but…mind telling me your mother’s maiden name?” Ruler asked. Hikaru felt like palming his face. Not that he minds answering, but, do people in this world have a fetish for asking the maiden name of someone’s mom or something?! With a sigh, Hikaru answered rather casually.

 

“Before marriage, she was Arturia Pendragon. Is that all?” Hikaru replied, his annoyance not dissipating, and somewhat forgetting the connection of the Pendragon last name to the legend of King Arthur. Ruler, meanwhile…

 

…nearly dropped her tea again.

 

She does not know what to do with this information. The woman not only has the face, but the name as well. Hikaru’s mana signature, as well as the familiar draconic pulses of energy Ruler can feel so clearly from the champion’s beating heart and coursing throughout his body, just like the King…he had to get them from somewhere. Ruler has both theories and doubts. If only…if only there was a way to contact the parents from all the way to the other world…Ruler believed the doubts in her heart can be purified, and maybe…

 

…maybe the absolution and punishment she seeks can be finally found.

 

“Well, now that he has answered, it’s time for us to ask the questions, is it not?” Histoire intervened. Hikaru himself was about to say something, but Ruler quickly chipped in.

 

“Very well. Go ahead.”

 

Without wasting a breath, Histoire proceeds to voice out her intentions, “I know it is not allowed to ask about the other faction’s Servants…but it is not the same when it comes to the Masters, is it not? Then, would you mind telling us about the Champion of Black? And other than that, I have some inquiries about Servant Class Skills as well.”

 

Before Ruler could voice out her answer, a pillar of black colored light erupted from the middle of the gardens, taking everyone’s attention. A small smile grew on Ruler’s lips. Quite the convenient timing, she thought. Standing up, Ruler heads for the place between the tables and the pillar of blackened light, and declares, “I do not have complete information on them to tell you myself, Oracle of Velvet. But…it might be better if you were to meet them yourselves. In fact… _they just arrived._ Let’s use this opportunity for the champions to meet, shall we?”

 

The moment Ruler finished speaking, the pillar of blackened light dissipated. What’s left were two people, one a girl, and the other a man in shining armor…

The man in armor has a shining, short soft blond hair, pearly white skin, and a pair of silver eyes. The entirety of his armor is a shining silver, with the only colored parts being the inner sides of his legs as well as a small portion of his arms to his elbows, being covered in what appears to be a bluish black spandex clothing. A sheathed sword, larger than Hikaru’s Caliburn, hangs from his left side. An unpleasant frown on his face is present, as if he was heading straight to a pig sty to do a clean-up…with the pigs present and frolicking. Had his expression been otherwise, Hikaru believes that no doubt the armored guy would be something he’d call a ‘ _Caucasian Gigolo._ ’

 

Ruler, meanwhile, paled at the sight of the armored man.

 

Meanwhile, the other person is a woman, around in her twenties. She has a beautiful, long brown hair that’s loose, but neat and straight, with the bangs framing her face just right. She has milky-white skin, and a pair of bright golden-brown eyes. She wears a black colored T-Shirt with the words ‘ _SURGE CONCERTO_ ’ written on it, and a black colored mini-skirt with black tights beneath, all beneath a long lab coat. She wears a pair of crimson heels for her feet. A calm expression is on her face…till she notices Hikaru, wherein the calmness was replaced with a shocked, but anticipating face. Hikaru, in turn, found something…oddly familiar with the woman’s face. It was as if…

 

…It was as if every time he looks at her, his heart feels like it’ll shatter to pieces.

 

“Ah, I see you’ve arrived. Now then…” As if to start the Olympics, Ruler spreads her arms as she declares aloud, “Allow me to do the introductions! Champion of Velvet, pay attention.” Ruler says, before taking Hikaru’s and gesturing to the woman with the lab-coat, “This beautiful lady here is the Heroine of Lastation, and the one who shall fight you for the Holy Grail! Her name is…Yuuki Nei, the Champion of Black!”

 

After declaring it, Ruler then turns her attention to Lastation’s Champion, “Champion of Black, this young man in front of you is the competitor for the Holy Grail, the Hero of Planeptune! His name is…Emiya Hikaru, the Champion of Velvet!” Ruler finished bombastically. Meanwhile, Hikaru was still confused. He was sure he heard the name ‘Yuuki Nei’ somewhere. The woman’s face too, he swore he has seen it so many times somewhere, too… _Oh, wait._

 

A large set of memories erupted in Hikaru’s mind. This very memories…caused the Champion of Velvet to go outright pale. ‘ _No, this is impossible. It can’t be. How did this happen?! Was that sketchy old man really telling the truth about the ‘waifu from another dimension’ bullshit when I bought the game from him for cheap?!’_ were the words that cycled in his brain. This stressful reaction was noticed by his Servant, who made a guess that the Master’s unpleasant reaction was caused by this lab-coat wearing woman in front of them, causing the Berserker to give a burning glare to the Champion of Black…who just outright ignores her, and begins to mumble under her breath...

 

“ _So…that is your real name…and this is actually what you truly look like behind that machine…Earthes._ ”

 

“Huh? You said something?” Hikaru asked, hearing the mumble but not knowing what they meant, as it was too low in volume to make anything out of. However, Nei only shakes her head, and smiles back gently at Hikaru. The latter, in turn, felt stung at that smile. It was…a smile straight from the heart.

 

“I said nothing.” Nei replied, “But, anyway, as Ruler had just said, I am Yuuki Nei, the Champion of Black. A pleasure to meet you in person, Emiya-kun.” Nei says, bowing her head respectfully. Hikaru, in turn, obeys common etiquette, and proceeds to do the same.

 

“As the Mediator had declared, my name is Emiya Hikaru. Nice to meet you as well, Yuuki-san.” Hikaru replied.

 

“While the two Champions are getting to know each other, please follow me to the central hall, Berserker of Velvet, and Saber of Black. I shall imprint the Marks for Ascension in there for the two of you. We shall then return for the giving of command seals to the masters right after.” Ruler declared sternly, her voice giving off authority that actually impressed Kiyohime, who relents. Meanwhile, Saber of Black, who had not been paying attention due to his foul mood, finally returns to reality.

 

“I refuse that order, Ruler. Are you telling me to leave my Master near that bastar-GHRK?!” Saber of Black cuts off his own words the moment his eyes finally land on Hikaru. The Servant’s eyes drifted from the boy’s expressionless face to the sheathed sword that the Servant recognized as Caliburn hanging horizontally from behind Hikaru. The moment he fully takes the information in, he went pale with his irises shrunk with shock.

 

“How…how in the world…who is that boy?! That holy sword behind him…What is the meaning of this, Queen Guinevere?!” Saber of Black roared, only for Ruler to give him a glare that quickly stunned him into silence on instinct.

 

Hikaru twitched an eyebrow. This Saber…he knows Ruler’s name from what he presumes the first time he met her. This means that…the Saber of Black is probably a Round Table Knight from the Legend of King Arthur. Hopefully, he might be a knight with weaknesses. He’s going to need that juicy little info, after all.

 

“I will tell you _once you follow me into the hall_. And do not worry about your Master. This castle is a reality marble meant to enforce the rules of a zone of neutrality. No one can harm anyone else here, may they be Master or Servant. Now, _follow me or be no longer able to perform Ascensions._ Oh, and Lady Histoire, please accompany us as well. I’ll need you as witness for the fairness of the ritual. I will take the time to answer your inquiries about the Servant Class Skills over there as well.” Ruler responds, her voice turned cold and annoyed. Despite his own intentions, Saber of Black knew better than to disappoint and shame his Master by his own actions. He has a lot of questions right now, and he wants answers. If going into that blasted hall will get those to him, then he has no choice.

 

Glaring at Ruler with venomous eyes, Saber of Black speaks, “Take the lead, your Majesty.”

 

And thus, Histoire, Ruler, Kiyohime, and Saber of Black went to the gigantic doors of the castle, whose halls led straight to the central areas, leaving Hikaru and Nei alone in the gardens. Hikaru looked at the woman beside him. Is this really the same girl from Ciel Nosurge and Ar Nosurge? The heroine he supposedly romanced and even married in-game? One whom he shared all sorts of…cheesy romantic one-liners with?

 

…An awkward silence ensued. Hikaru didn’t know what to say. If this…Yuuki Nei **_IS_** the same one from those two one-off games he played, then… _Oh, shit._

 

Back at those games, not only had he ramped up the affection points up to 100 back then. He even went as far as to complete the marriage event requirements for the two games, _and_ complete all romance based events, too. AS well as unlocked all the dialogues possible. Yuuki Nei…was the first 2D waifu he met, after all. And this meeting happing to him right now…he never expected it, nor did he ever expect any actual Yuuki Nei to exist. And yet, despite Ciel Nosurge and Ar Nosurge being a damn good game, how come nobody he knows, even his friends from the online community, knew of the game’s existence or at least played it for a bit? Even Google never showed results for any Ciel or Ar Nosurge, or even the gaming guides for those two games. It was also quite suspicious that all the gaming guides he got were from the very same person whom he bought the game from;

 

A sketchy, Caucasian old man in a pink bodysuit who calls himself ‘ _Papa Zeltrechu_ ’. At first, Hikaru thought he was just some weeb visiting Japan at the time. But, as it turns out, the old man has some damn good taste in video games. And it was from him that Hikaru bought the two games, Ciel Nosurge and Ar Nosurge, that led him to meet Ionasal kkll Preciel, or as he eventually discovers, Yuuki Nei, a girl from an alternate Earth who had her soul stolen and placed inside that of a girl in another world named ‘Ionasal’. Thanks to the amount of time he spent on those two games with her, she’s actually the first 2D waifu Hikaru actually liked as a character. And yet, here she is, standing right in front of him as a real person.

 

There’s also the fact that both Ciel Nosurge and Ar Nosurge stopped working when he finished them. And any video recordings he had of his playtime with them disappeared from his HDD, too…

 

That old man who sold him the game in the first place…maybe he really wasn’t lying about the whole “ _This isn’t a game! This is a 7-Dimensional APP that will allow you to interact with a waifu from across the Universes_ ” thing. Just what in the world is happening?! Why is his first ‘ _waifu_ ’ his enemy in something like a Holy Grail War?! Who was that old man who sold him the games in the first place?! Just…why is it that Nei would antagonize him in the worst way possible if she does believe him to be the same person who was by her side in those games?!

 

…Why would she try to kill the person she claims she loved in those games? This Holy Grail War…this isn’t something lovers do, from what common sense tells him.

 

“From your reactions, it seems you know who I am already…You might be questioning how in the world I actually exist, or how I managed to reach this place.” Nei started, taking Hikaru’s attention by surprise, “But, those two discs you played with…those two ‘ _games_ ’ were not really video games, my Dear husband. They were 7-Dimensional Terminals…created out of a whim by someone whom you should know very well. In fact, it was that old man that allowed me to advance my Interdimensional Research, and meet the Goddess of Lastation. But enough of that…” Without wasting time, Yuuki Nei proceeds to embrace the still-shocked Hikaru, snapping him back to reality, only to find out that Nei has one hell of a grip, and…she really has some _damn fine, soft tracts of land_ , “I’m so glad…to finally meet you, to be with the person who saved my life and sent me home, to be able to hug you like this, to be together with you just like this, I…am really happy! You don’t know how happy I was when I first saw you! The ‘ _you_ ’ behind the screen…it truly was worth the effort finding a way to get here! This…this is truly a miracle no Holy Grail can ever match against!” Nei declares, tears already starting to flow from her eyes. Hikaru, coated with hormones, felt his heartbeat jump faster than a humping rabbit, the soft feeling of Nei’s warm body and her…probably E-cup bazongas causing more chaos in his mind. The discovery of actual _fucking alternate universes existing_ from meeting his… _waifu_ is already threatening his brain with overloading.

 

“Woah, wait, wait, wait! I need to know something! Let go of me first!” Hikaru pleaded, causing Nei to let go of him, albeit with a pouting face from her. Hikaru, however, ignored this, and proceeded to voice out what he feels, “Look, here, Yuuki-san. I…am SO damn confused right now. Your very existence is already overloading my sanity. First…let me ask…” Taking deep breaths to calm from his own shock, Hikaru continues, “If you truly are the Ion…no, the Nei I…fell in love with back at EXA_PICO, then…why the hell are you the Champion on my enemy’s side? Isn’t basically the same as declaring you’d really love to kill me?! Last time I checked, honeymoons don’t come with couples that sic legendary heroes on each other’s faces! And also, did you just call me your husband?” Hikaru asked aloud, his emotions igniting hot when he finally absorbed the information he just received. Why would someone you supposed married would go against you in something like a Holy Grail War? After all that time he spent with her, and reaching the deepest parts of her heart, and even saving her and sending her back to her own Earth…why would she want to kill him?!

 

Nei’s face…its cheerfulness subsided. A serious look in her eyes are now present. She put a hand on her chest as she took a deep breath, and looks Hikaru into the eye. From what the latter could see, Nei’s eyes were filled with heavy emotions at that very moment.

 

“Of course, you’re my husband! We married under the oath of the Seven Dimensions, _remember?_ That means our oaths _shall always be effective_ for the both of us, _no matter which world or alternate world we are staying in~!_ And, as for your other question…I can’t tell you the full details just yet, Dear. But I…I’m not here simply for the Grail. I’m here to save you! You’re not supposed to be in this war. Someone else was! You weren’t meant to go through all this. Please, trust me. The Holy Grail you’ll gain from finishing this crisis is not worth it. You and I both know what’s like to be kidnapped from our homes and forced to do something for another world. For your own good, please abandon this war, and let me handle the calamity that is The Fall-”

 

“ ** _No._** ” Hikaru cuts off Nei.

 

“Huh? What? Why?!” Nei replied. Shock beats from her heart. Why would he refuse? Didn’t he already know what it was like with her when she was kidnapped by Ra Cielans and was horribly treated, tortured, and forced into the role of an Empress Candidate? Why would he let the Goddesses treat him like this?!

 

Without wasting a beat, Hikaru replies, “News flash~! I didn’t agree to this whole Holy Grail War thing simply because I wanted to save the world, I’m after the rewards just as much. I am human, too, you know. I have my own wish for that Grail. A really important one, in fact. That, and I can’t trust you. Just because you claim to be the one I loved from my favorite video game doesn’t mean it’s a ticket to my trust. If you truly were the ‘Yuuki Nei’ I spent 3 years’ worth of time with, then you, of all people, should already know that I’m not the kind of guy to stop something I’m doing halfway, _especially when it involves saving the world!”_ Hikaru unsheathes Caliburn, and points it at Nei’s neck as he continued, “That wish of mine…is not something I’m willing to give up on. I will do all that I can to obtain it. And I will not tolerate anyone in my way…even if it’s my ‘ _dear wife_ ’. I am a man of my own ship and wheel. The direction that my rudder will take is mine to decide. I did not do this _simply because I was told to do so by some Goddess that kidnapped me_ , nor will I stop because _someone claiming to be my wife is telling me to quit_. I am here because I wanted to. I’ll fight for my own dreams and desires, and I shall always be.” Hikaru declares, his expression stoic, but his tone of voice strong and unyielding, a show of his determination and unwillingness to give up his fight half-way. And, yet, despite the words he just said, he has no true selfish desire to fulfill with the Holy Grail. His only desire…is to be able to become the Hero of Legend he has always dreamed to be. Someone whose can carve his traces and legacy unto history, someone who will never be forgotten even when his legend becomes as old as the rocks on the earth. This desire isn’t something he’ll fulfill from wishing it on some drinking cup he doesn’t even believe to be authentic. Only by his own actions he can pull this off.

 

And moreover, there is no need to reveal his true intentions to the woman before him, nor does he see the need to be on her good side, seeing that she is the enemy he’s supposed to defeat. He might not have definite proof that this ‘Nei’ in front of him is the same one he once fell in love with for now, but…

 

…If she does prove to be the real thing, he truly hopes he won’t have to hurt her or kill her in the process. Would killing all her seven Servants be enough, at least? Why is she obsessed with a wish granting artifact, anyway? Such a boring concept…

 

” _Nothing satisfying ever comes out of a wish achieved so easily and instantly. Only regret and resentment will always remain.”_ Hikaru remembered the words that his father had told him so many times. He really seems to love lecturing about that when Hikaru starts whining about an easy way to achieve one’s dreams. The lecture takes at least an hour, too.

 

As for the Holy Grail…

 

If anything, he’ll just give the Grail to Histoire at the end, anyway.

 

Meanwhile, Nei felt the heartbreak pierce through her.

 

To think that it would be this difficult to convince him of her intentions. Ah, this must have what Earthes…no, Hikaru must have felt like when Nei herself showed her true colors within the depths of her heart. The feeling when you finally see what someone truly is beyond that sweetness they show at first…and yet, back then, Hikaru didn’t give up on her, and persisted on proving his love for her, despite all the horrible things she did to him, even after all the horrible side of her that was shown to him and repeatedly shoving to his face that she doesn’t trust him one bit. All of that effort to have his feelings reach her made her fall in with him truly. And now…

 

It’s her turn to pay him back for all that.

 

“…Feeling a bit disappointed I’m not that “ _Prince_ ” you kept calling me, aren’t you? That’s alright. I wasn’t really pure heroic material to begin with. Sorry about that. Feel free to go for a divorce, _my dear wife_.” Hikaru says as he sheathes back Caliburn, his expression unreadable. Why does it have to be like this? Of all everything he expected to come against, it had to be someone he knows quite well. It just had to be someone who’s already got some damn good experience when it comes to adventuring in another world, too. Not to mention, it had to be the girl that gave him his fetishes for the “ _Hot Scientist with the Girl-Next-Door personality but actually has some nasty secrets_ ” genre. And most of all…it had to be the person that made him set his tastes and standards for a partner.  Basically, the enemy he has to face in this war…is the girl of his dreams.

 

Does his own luck hate him or something? Why make him face off with someone like Nei to begin with?

 

Is there really no other way around these?

 

Meanwhile, Nei takes a deep breath…and decides to look Hikaru to the eyes, locking her golden-brown orbs to Hikaru’s emerald ones…and felt her heart jump a bit. His eyes…they’re strong, unyielding, and yet, they felt like fragile glass that would break with but a single, soft poke. These eyes…she does not wish for them to go through pain, to lose the bright life within them from what will transpire in this Holy Grail War, but alas…her husband’s strong heart led him to this path. And from how the situation looks like, she doesn’t have even an inkling of his trust, nor does he show even the slightest bit of love and affection he would always give as “ _Earthes_ ”.

 

Oh, how the tables of mistrust have turned. With a sprinkle of irony, too. Back then, it was her that couldn’t trust him at first, not being able to understand him as he was just someone pressing buttons on the other side of the screen, as only his thoughts had ever reached her. But back then, those thoughts were full of emotions, and were truly sincere, and Nei believed that, despite being unable to see her lover’s face nor hear his voice, she could trust him and love him till the end, and even married the mechanical avatar he used in order to prove their love to each other. In fact, she part of the reason why she became a researcher of Interdimensional Phenomenon is because she wanted to find a way to reach her husband’s Earth, and now, even though it was not where she intended to be, she finally met the love of her life in the flesh…

 

Except that…she now no longer has the trust of said husband, could not feel even a shred of love and affection from his eyes nor his voice, and even intends to fight against her and cut her down for the sake of his own desires…just like how she treated him when, he still hasn’t really proven the depths of his affection for her. But, for Nei, it was unavoidable. In fact, she foresaw this, as it was basically quite common sense that people in videogames don’t just come to life, and thus, the mistrust.

 

But Nei isn’t a videogame character. And Hikaru didn’t really play a game, he was controlling a robot via a 7-Dimensional Terminal. As the robot Earthes, he was truly with Nei on the hardest of times back when she was still stranded on another world, protecting her from danger and giving her company, affection, and emotional support when she needed it the most, even during the times she lashed out at him and treated him too damn horribly to the point that any sane person would have just outright abandoned her at that point.

 

And yet, he _never_ gave up on her, and that undying trust and love is what made Yuuki Nei truly fall in love with the being behind Earthes. The desire to meet that person…culminated in all of this right now.

 

And thus, Yuuki Nei makes a decision. Just as he never gave up on her…

 

“Then…if you chose to fight for the Grail, then I’ll do all I can to stop you. I promise I’ll save you and go home with you. I will not let you make that wish with the Holy Grail, no matter what happens! When all of this is over…the both of us will be together in a normal life, away from all this matters of magic, heroes, and wars. That…is my intention, _my Dear husband_.” Nei declares, her tone full of emotions and courage. To save the man she loves, and prevent him from the eternity’s worth of suffering that awaits at the end, she will fight. Even if it means hurting him in the process, Nei swore to herself that she will not stop until she can make sure Hikaru can no longer reach the Grail, and that he can go home with her at his side.

 

If what the mysterious Old Man told her is true, then, the being called **_Alaya_** can’t get its hands on her husband by not letting him get his hands on the Grail…Nei would do anything. Everything. Just to stop Hikaru from ever attaining the Grail and not letting him suffer _Eternal Servitude_ to an unknown being even Nei herself has no knowledge of. All that she knows is that…Hikaru must not win this Grail War. At all costs.

 

_She’ll save him, and she’ll dedicate every single fiber of her being to do just that. After all…_

_…It was her fault he got involved in all of this in the first place._

“I see. Then…I shall give it all I got to _slice through you_ , and reach my goals. Don’t expect our oaths of marriage to soften my blows, Nei. I will save this world _and_ gain the Holy Grail.” Hikaru replied, a smirk besmirched on his face as he crossed his arms. Meanwhile, Nei just twitched in surprise, and…started blushing real hard, much to Hikaru’s confusion.

 

“Oi…what’s happened to you-”

 

“Kyaaaa! You finally called me by my first name! I’m sorry, but I couldn’t control my heart from all that happiness! We really are like newlyweds now~!” Nei cuts off Hikaru and suddenly started ranting, holding her face while shaking her head side to side from what appears to be a combination of embarrassment and uncontrolled happiness. Meanwhile, Hikaru, fearing Kiyohime might miraculously be hearing Nei’s words from afar, starts panicking and waves his hands in front of him while calling out to Nei.

 

“Whoa, whoa, could you lower your voice?! My Servant will kill me if she hears even an inkling of what you’re talking about!” Hikaru says…unaware of the blunder he just made. Nei stilled, before her bangs made a dark shade over her eyes, giving her orbs an ominous golden glow that made Hikaru feel a threatening cold air that pierced his gonads and spine.

 

“Why would I need to hold back my affections when we’re basically married? Is it because of age differences? Of people finding it weird? Or…” Nei downright gives her husband a dark glare as she continued, “…Have you been cheating on me? With your own Servant, no less? Have you been doing _mana-transfers_ with her before you came here? Was it hot, too?”

 

“Huh? I’m am not cheating on anyone, alright?! And of course, people would find it weird that someone in their twenties is married to a 15 year old like me, not to mention the moral backlash, too. You wanna get a visit from FBI-kun or something?! And what the effing hell is a Mana Transfer, anyway?!” Hikaru retorted, with veins plopping around his forehead. Although, despite this heated appearance, he is actually panicking. What if Nei accidentally calls him husband right when Kiyohime is around? Will he end up dying before he even fights? Will he die a virgin wizard?

 

Oh, wait, he’s a Magus.

 

Meanwhile, Nei looked like so darned relieved for some reason. In fact, her eyes were bright again and her smile is no longer threatening Hikaru’s gonads.

 

“Oh, quit with the age problem. Admit it; You probably wanted a “ _Dominant Onee-sama and her Submissive little brother_ ” romantic roleplay once in your life, didn’t you? Want me to join you in the bath and clean your whole body for you, too, Dear Hikaru?” Nei replied teasingly, to which Hikaru palmed his face.

 

“Hell no! That’s, like, twenty violations of the 2D waifu convention! And I am _NOT_ into onee-sama based roleplays! I’m not even a sub. No way in hell I’d bend my knee down to anyone, much less bend over and raise my ass for them!” Hikaru retorted. Seriously, what is it with older women and onee-sama roleplays?! Do they like the incestous taboo-like sensation of the whole thing that much?! What has become of humanity these days?! Why isn’t there a real life “ _Super Shy Hot MILF-Y Scientist and her Aggressive little Apprentice_ ” instead?! Hikaru kept on mentally ranting as he watched Yuuki Nei get lost in her own little world, too.

 

“Ah, but you did bend your knee when you proposed to me, my Dear~!”

 

“…That was with a Robot-Avatar, Nei! Robots don’t count.”

 

“By the way, can we exchange email addresses, Dear? Due to our circumstances, I don’t think we can talk personally much, sooo…” Nei says before offering up her phone, causing Hikaru to sigh, before whipping out his own and exchange it with Nei’s. In a few moments, their emails were now recorded in each other’s phones, and returning them to each other.

 

“Yeah, yeah, alright. And stop calling me Dear so vocally. I might seriously get roasted to ashes, Nei.”

 

“ ** _No, Dear._** ”

 

“Oh, come on! You’re the mature twenty-something year old mad scientist here, Nei!”

 

“Oh, my, are you calling me a shriveled old woman, **_Dear?!_** ”

 

“Are you being effing serious right now? Stop fooling around, will you?!” Hikaru complained, only resulting in Nei smirking at him.

 

“But I’m serious about my fooling around!” Nei retorted, before sticking her tongue out, much to Hikaru’s boiling annoyance.

 

Before the argument could continue, footsteps can be heard from the direction of the castle. And as expected by Hikaru and Nei, who came back were Histoire, Ruler, Kiyohime, and Saber of Black. The last one, however, has the look of a middle-aged man in a mid-life crisis. A look which intensified when his eyes wander from Hikaru and then to his Master.

 

“The engraving of marks for future Ascensions is now done. Now…for the command seals of the Masters. Both of you, please reach out the hands that bear your Command Seals…oh, my, what do we have here?” Ruler commented, seeing the unhappy, annoyed face of Hikaru and the still somewhat blushing and flustered Nei whose fiddling with her fingers, like she was just caught doing something she shouldn’t be doing. On this sight, Kiyohime made a careful observation from the two master’s faces…and made a conclusion that some _lab-coat wearing slut_ just attempted to make a move on her master, and failed. It appears that her master is indeed into women near his age, Kiyohime thinks with relief. Looks like her Master isn’t betraying her, after all!

…Although, she really needs to burn some _lab-coat clad_ _slut_ after this. Or maybe at least some lab coats on a manikin. The enemy Saber is too well-built to be overtaken by brute force and lots of flames, from what she observed.

 

Meanwhile, Nei and Hikaru proceeded to stand in front of Ruler, and raised both their left hands.

 

“By my Authority as the Mediator, I grant you both strength, in thanks to your dedication to save the world!” Ruler declared aloud, before caressing the left hand of both Masters. A strange, warm feeling encompasses their left hands, like an invisible hand was giving them a gentle massage.

 

In a few moments, a new insignia of red color now glows on the command seals placed unto the left hand of both Hikaru and Nei, showing that the transfer was successful. At that very moment, a pillar of blackened light erupted, signaling that Nei’s time in the Castle of Camelot is now over for the time being. A slight look of disappointment engraves itself on the Champion of Black’s face, unhappy that her time with Hikaru was cut short.

 

“…See you later, Emiya-kun. I hope for a fair fight the next time we meet. Please stay alive till then…And thanks for the Command Seals as well, Ruler.” Nei says in a respectful, professional manner, befitting that of her appearance. As she turned her back, Saber of Black decides to speak, directing his words at Hikaru.

 

“…May you be ready for our battle, Master of Velvet, for I shall put faith in your skills as a leader. Good health to you. Do your best to survive till then.” The Knight Servant says with dignity and respect that completely reflects his appearance, bowing his head slightly after he spoke. After which, he turns his back and follows his Master to the pillar of blackened light. The moment the two of them entered it, the pillar of light disappeared, along with the two.  

 

As if on cue, a pillar of purple light also erupted from another side of the gardens.

 

“Oh, my, how punctual. Shall we head home, Master? Your eyes are showing how tired you are.” Kiyohime commented, having carefully observed her Master’s eyes…like usual. Hikaru nodded in agreement. After all, he just discovered his favorite videogame actually existed as a real alternate universe, his waifu went all the way from there to here just to screw him over for a reason she won’t explain despite telling him that her end intentions were just live a life together with him, and most of all; having to deal with the fact that his beloved “ _First Waifu_ ” is his mortal enemy in this Holy Grail War, and that on the process of becoming the Hero of Legend of his dreams, he might have to hurt her. _A lot_.

 

Boy, that _is_ a lot to take in.

 

“I agree. Were you having quite the debate with the Champion of Black, Hikaru-kun? I can’t see any other reason for you to be this tired from just conversing with her.” Histoire commented, concerned about the sudden loss of energy from Planeptune’s Champion. What could the Champion of Black have told her that caused him to be like this? Histoire pondered. Hopefully, it wasn’t a deliberate mental damaging tactic…

 

Well, she isn’t really far off the mark on the debating part, Hikaru thought.

 

“…Yeah, I’m so bloody tired right now, I could put on a pink bodysuit and start sleeping on a rice field. Let’s go home, Kiyohime.” Hikaru says in a tired voice.

 

“Yes, let’s do just that. Except without the bodysuit portion.” Berserker replied and smiled, before proceeding to gesture to Hikaru to follow her. The Master sees this, smiles back, and walks after Kiyohime towards the pillar. As he stood right beside it, he turns back and takes his attention to Ruler, who tilted her head in curiosity as to why he looked back. Did he forget something?

 

“That milk tea was great. I’m looking forward to visiting again, Ruler.” Hikaru says with a smile, before proceeding to enter the pillar. Kiyohime and Histoire did the same, except that the former has her jaw dropped and her face is pale with shock even as she kept moving. Histoire, however, decided to enter last, as she looked back at Ruler, gave the Servant a respectful nod, and proceeded to turn around and enter the pillar of purple light.

 

Guinevere nearly cried. For this whole time, and even back at her own time in life, never did she expect to see Arturia’s face being able to give a heartfelt smile, even if it was through Hikaru’s own. The picture of the smiling woman at the picture Hikaru showed her strengthened that shock, as well.

 

“Oh, how I wish to see that heartfelt smile on your face personally, my Dear King…”

 

**_If_** that boy truly **_is_** a descendant of the King, then…Ruler could only pray for his success.

 

* * *

 

Saber of Black tilted his head in curiosity. His Master’s mood had improved ever since they visited the Mediator’s domain. It seems that she had accomplished some sort of goal. Ah, he remembers now. His Master did tell him about what her intentions were in visiting the Mediator’s Castle on a specific date. Unable to hold his curiosity, the Saber proceeds to voice out his wonder.

 

“Milady, how did your reunion with your lover go?”

 

His master, Nei, stilled and blushed a bit red. Clearing her throat as she reels back from the surprise, she faces her Servant, “It went well. He does not know it, but…” A big, heartfelt smile was etched on Nei’s face as she continued, “He’s _really_ bad at playing hard to get, you know. Must be because he’s still so…young. That made him cuter, though! Trying to act like an adult with long winded speeches about ships, wheels, rudders, and all that…” Nei, unaware that she was already to the point of gushing and boasting, kept talking happily with a proud smile.

 

Saber laughed at his Master’s reactions. Even despite her circumstances, Nei still smiled, and Saber was relieved to see that. To fight the very person who swore eternal bond with you, just for the sake of some wish granting cup…Saber could not even imagine how that would feel like. But, then again, multiple wars have been fought around the world over all sorts of pointless things even worse than the one right now. At least Saber knew his fighting for a war with a benevolent cause this time around.

 

“Say, Saber, I’ll be heading over Noire-san’s room for the really long report on our visit…except the personal parts, of course. Can I ask you to go shopping for our dinner tonight?” Nei asked her Servant, who gave a respectful nod at his Master before giving a small smile.

 

“Of course, milady. Shall I do the cooking for toni-”

 

“Uhm, _you don’t need to!_ ” Nei quickly cuts off Saber in a panic, before continuing with a gentle expression on her face, “I’ll do the cooking for tonight. I’ve got a new recipe I’d like you and Noire-san to taste, after all!” Nei declares, before taking out a paper containing the ingredients she needs, and handling it to Saber, who sighs in sorrow, realizing that he has just been banned from the kitchen in the gentlest way possible. He grabs the paper, and gives his Master another smile.

 

“Understood, Milady. I shall be back with the finest ingredients!” Saber says, before turning around and heading for the Basilicom’s front door. As usual, the employees greet him as he passed by, with him doing the same. _Such calm, happy faces_ , he thought. These kind of faces was quite rare back in his era, no thanks to the constant warring and turmoil. People barely made carefree smiles back then. But to see such a bright, beautiful world after so long, even if it is not the world he lived in, the sight of a peaceful world still calmed Saber of Black’s toughened heart.

 

* * *

 

 As he walked through the busy streets of Lastation’s shopping district, Saber of Black’s mind kept returning to what he had…experienced back at the Mediator’s castle.

 

The young man with his King’s exact face, body, and sword…

 

Based on what his Master said earlier, the poor boy whom her Master loved _is_ going to have _a lot_ of embarrassing memories in the future, that’s for sure. But…concerning that very same boy, too, Saber had found out something horrifying…

 

“ _That boy…is one of the last descendants of our dear King’s line._ ”

 

Ruler’s words echoed in his mind. From what he has seen himself, Ruler’s words do not appear to be lies on the fly.

 

Deep inside, Saber felt his heart nearly crush itself to pieces. To think that this Holy Grail War would pit him against the last remnants of the very person he wanted to serve under once more…How shameful, indeed. For not only had he failed his duties as a Knight of the Round in the past, he too, might end up being responsible for completely erasing the last of the lineage of the very King he swore to serve and fight for in all of eternity. While indeed thankful that her Master’s intentions were to save the boy from an unknown, horrible fate, the future allied Servants might not agree with her plans, and might go straight up killing his dear King’s last descendant…

 

Deep inside his smiles, Saber of Black internally screamed.

 

Hopefully, the day he’ll swing down Excalibur Galantine upon the boy’s neck _will not come too soon…_

* * *

 

Meanwhile, inside Hikaru’s room in the Planeptune Basilicom’s top floors…

 

In the middle of the room stood a table. On the table are maps with markers complete with descriptions of the marked places. Each of those places are…the best places for a Planeptune style dating. Walking around the table with a laser pointer is Purple Heart in a teacher’s clothes, with a grave, serious expression on her face. Sitting beside the table is Hikaru, with his full attention ready for listening. Compa and IF stood beside him, in a fashion no different from prison wardens carefully watching their prisoner during interrogation, and cut off any attempt at escaping.

 

That’s right.

 

This is a war meeting…for the upcoming Master-and-Servant Date three days from now on. Thanks to the eavesdropping done by the trio, Purple Heart, IF, and Compa saw the knee-deep mud pool Hikaru placed himself in…or at least, that’s how they saw it.

 

“Listen. A date is a battle. I truly trust you have the right intentions, but…I do not trust your lady handling skills and date planning skills, Emiya-kun.” IF started, “And before you complain, I can pretty much make an educated guess that the only women you actually dated are actually 2D, isn’t it?”

 

Hikaru looked away in annoyed embarrassment as a reply, his face slightly red from IF’s words. Yes, she isn’t wrong. Hikaru had never dated a living 3D girl before. Despite receiving love letters at school in an unchanging interval, he never really took the idea of dating any of those girls, as he was already in his “2D _Waifu Loving Phase_ ” with Ion, A.K.A. Nei in his Ciel Nosurge and Ar Nosurge playing years. As such, despite the rumors of him being a dangerous, carnivorous gigolo dating multiple girls at a time floating around, the real Emiya Hikaru is actually _complete shit_ when it comes to real women.

 

Well, Nei _is_ a real person, as proven really recently, but, Hikaru only got away with whatever awkwardness that ensued back then because he was in another world and didn’t have the full fear of embarrassing himself hard to the other party, since he was in the safety of the place behind the glass screen. But, this time around…

 

“She’s right, Hikaru-san.” Compa chipped in, “You retort way too bluntly, you’re merciless and evil when you tease, you’re too honest with no restraint, and you don’t even have a sense of tact when it comes to people in general.” Compa finished, causing Hikaru to go blue with despair. When even the gentlest girl of the bunch roasts you, you know you’re doing something really wrong, Hikaru thought.

 

“You can be a blunt dick in a small talk and you don’t even realize it till it’s too late. That’s what usually happens, doesn’t it, Emiya-kun?” IF says with a serious, clinical expression, complete with black rimmed glasses. Hikaru, remembering a few instances of what IF just said happening, looks away in embarrassment, causing IF’s suspicions to be confirmed. The veteran adventurer sighs. At least he’s honest enough that she’d know how to help him. Yep, she’ll make sure Kiyohime won’t take him home as ashes in a jar.

 

IF then glances at Purple Heart, who nods back and proceeds to approach Hikaru with a serious expression. The instructions she’ll drop…they’re pretty damn important, Purple Heart reminded herself, and proceeds to look Hikaru in the eye, much to his surprise and increasing heart rate.

 

“We’re not saying you should change yourself. In fact, while honesty isn’t exactly a reliable ability in catching the ladies, it’s still a positive trait that will garner a lot of trust in the long run, and trust has always been a good thing in a relationship. What me and the others are trying to say, is…Hikaru-kun, even if it’s at least once in a while, please try to make a quick check of the other party’s emotional state, alright? Shoot out those honesty shotgun shells at the right moment, and add a bit of smooth one-liner grenades and some accurately fired complement sniper rounds, and don’t forget to let the other party fire back, then analyze her word bullets before making your verbal return fire. Do just that, and you’ll have a nice, light-hearted, atmospheric, and flowing conversation. And those are the best parts of a Date to capture a ladies heart!” Purple Heart instructed, “And remember; Awkward Silence tactics is one of your worst enemies. Endless yapping about yourself without letting the other party return fire is a big no-no. And most of all…Never. Ever. Talk. About. Another girl. To your current dating partner. Are the basic instructions clear?” Purple Heart asks, causing an attentive Hikaru to actually nod in agreement. Sure, this are nearly common sense, but, for a hormonal teenager with zero dating experience, Purple Heart thought it’d be best to return to the very basics and engrave them to her Champion.

 

“…Yeah, I know what you’re getting at…” Hikaru replied. He’s already heard of these things, but, it’s kind of refreshing to someone actually recommending it. Tohsaka Rin did tell him of these things once, although, due to Hikaru’s history of misfortunes being her work, he couldn’t really trust her words at the time, and simply thought Rin was just messing around, despite the serious look on her face. In fact, IF’s serious face and voice just now really reminded him of that very same memory.

 

“Alright! Then, Iffy, how’s the scouting progressed?” Purple announces, causing IF to grab one of the maps on the table and place it on Hikaru’s area of the furniture. Upon inspection, it was the map filled with the markings and the pictures with descriptions concerning those markings.

 

“Yep, completed. I went around, then mapped the locations of all date-compatible spots! Restaurants, Malls, Amusement Parks, normal Parks with natural scenery, you name it! Except Love Hotels, of course! Oh, and I asked Kiyohime of her tastes in food. She’s into oriental menus, so I also made sure to mark the Oriental Style Eateries and Restaurants with a yellow circle on this map!” IF proudly states, before gesturing to Hikaru to read her masterpiece. Hikaru follows suite and reads, and finds the map’s pointers and descriptions to be very detailed in information, completely researched down from the places’ specialties to even the trivias for each places. Hikaru is deeply impressed. IF’s scouting skills truly are amazing.

 

“ _Wow, they’re WAAAY into this. I’m touched they actually decided to help me this much, though. Note to self; Buy some Frozen Brazos for this people a day after the date!_ ”  Hikaru mentally noted, looking with a warm heart at the people in front of him.

 

“This is amazing. Thanks a lot, IF-san. I guess I should start making plans on which places to visit in a proper order, right?” Hikaru asked. IF replied with a proud nod, glad to have her work appreciated. Compa gave an affirming nod as well. Meanwhile, Purple Heart lights up her laser pointer, and aims it at one of the places in the map on the table.  
  
“Let’s make a set of different plans and orders of places. I shall be the first to do the recommendations! This is MY capital city, after all. Prepare to take notes of my recommendation list, my Champion!” Purple Heart bombastically declares, causing Hikaru to reply with an amused smile and follow his Goddess’s instructions. He then began listing the areas Purple Heart pointed in order, as well as copying the instructions and tips on how to utilize the facilities of those places, and on what to order when there, etc.

 

A while later, Compa raises her hand as well, “I have a set of recommendations, too!”

 

And thus, began a **_long_** night of War (Date) strategies…

 

* * *

 

 

A/N:

_Yes, this is officially a three way crossover now. In fact, it was already planned to be like this in a long time. The lore of Alternate Dimensions in the Surge Concerto is pretty fun to mix with the Fate Series' own versions of the thing. And the Player Avatar thing connecting from another universe in Surge Concerto really opens a lot of fun possibilities when done in a crossover._

_An important question: Do you guys think I should keep putting BGM's in important moments, or should I just stick to how I did things without the music?_


	8. Dark Clouds

_Fate/Grand Goddess Resurrection_

_Chapter 5, Part 1:_

" _Dark Cloud, Velvet Skies"_

* * *

  ** _Notes:_**

**_I do not know if there's even anyone reading this, but, oh well._ **

**_Optional things for this chapter:_ **

**_For any cut scene taking place in a field of flowers with a gigantic tower in the middle, please play "Weight of the World -Piano Version-" from NieR: Automata. (There are many versions on Youtube. Just choose one to your liking.)_ **

**_For any cutscene taking place inside the Basilicom, please play "Iwatodai Dorm" from Persona 3._ **

**_For any cutscene taking place outside Planeptune's main city, please play "Pantalea" by Akiko Shikata. (Think of this song as the main World Map/Overworld Theme for Planeptune)_ **

**_For any battle scene against small enemies inside a forest in this chapter, please play "Devil Trigger" from Devil May Cry 5._ **

**_For any boss battle scene against a muscular looking enemy or anyone you might consider a boss level enemy, please play "Omnis Lacrima" from Final Fantasy XV. (Think of this as the main Boss Theme)_ **

**_For any cut scene inside any hotel in this chapter, please play "Stand by Me" from Final Fantasy XV._ **

**_For any battle scene against an Armored Being, please play "Ultraviolet" from Devil May Cry._ **

**_I would like to remind everyone that playing these songs are optional, and are not really needed for full enjoyment of the story. They're meant to be just atmospheric enhancements for cut scenes._ **

* * *

 "Eh?! You mean they went overseas just the night before the trip?!" Jinako asked in shock, unable to leave the warm kotatsu she sat in the Emiya Residence's living room. In front of her is Rider, who was called over to watch over the house while Hikaru and his parents supposedly went to Britain on the night four days ago, just on the night before their trip to Akihabara.

"Well…yes." Rider replies, fixing her glasses as she spoke, "Saber's father was hospitalized. And, having no more family left in Britain, Hikaru, Shirou, and Saber went to the airport as fast possible, and left. Seeing the circumstances, I think they might not be back before school re-opens. Sorry about this, Jinako-san."

Jinako's eyes look pained for a moment, before she waved her hands in a small panic in front of her, "Wait, please don't apologize, Rider-san! I'll just PM Hikaru, so please don't worry about it." Jinako explained, earning her a head tilt from Rider, who did not get the last one. Must be one of those slang among modern day youths again, the Servant thought.

"PM?" Rider asked.

"Uhh…Private Messaging! You know, via emails on the internet, and stuff." Jinako replied. Is it just her, or does a lot of the Emiya Residence's occupants except for Hikaru really bad at tech? There was this one time she saw one of the visitors, namely Tohsaka-san, seemingly fiddling in confusion a latest model of SanSung Smartphone. It took a bit of tutorial on the basic operations from Jinako for Tohsaka to learn how to unlock her Phone Screen and operate the messaging and call options, as well as on how to update things via connecting to the internet through data or WiFi. She may not admit it, but Jinako felt like she was tutoring a countryside bumpkin on how to operate a washing machine.

"I see. What will you do now, Jinako-san? I can walk you back home." Rider offered, only to get a shake of head from Jinako.

"Uhh, no need to! I'll just head out myself. I still need to go back to Tokyo, after all." Jinako replied, her face somewhat becoming sour and pained at the last part. Rider noticed this, and decided to ask, wanting to see if she can help with a possible problem.

"Back there again? Is there something you need to do at that city early this morning?" The Servant inquired. Jinako looked up at her, eyes still looking a little pained.

"Yeah. It's…Riko-chan's first death anniversary." Jinako replied.

Ah, she gets it now, Rider thought.

It's the anniversary of one of Hikaru's childhood friends, one who was with him since kindergarten, elementary, and middle school, before being moved to Tokyo after graduation due to her father's work. She, too, was the one who died on this very same day last year.

Sakurauchi Riko, after joining in a piano music competition, won as the champion. But, on the way home after celebrating with her friends, Riko was stabbed repeatedly and brutally in an alley in Akihabara, where she was found dead a day later. The suspect was never revealed. However, there were rumors that it was one of the competitors of the piano music competition, and one who is believed to be a child of a very influential politician at that. It was not hard to connect the dots as to why the suspect was never revealed, in identity nor in being arrested.

And thus, the justice for Riko Sakurauchi's death was never attained.

"I understand. Take care, Jinako-san." Rider says, before making a slight bow. Jinako does the same.

"Umu. Thanks. I'll…be taking my leave now." Jinako declares, before leaving the kotatsu and heading out of the Emiya Residence. Rider, in turn, also stood up, but instead headed for Hikaru's room. Going inside, she turns the lights on, and heads for the study table, where two picture frames stood. One has a picture of Hikaru with his parents and the occupants of the Emiya Residence, sitting in the living room with smiles. The other one…

…has a picture of Hikaru, Jinako, and two more other people of the same age as them. One is a boy with neat bluish purple hair, black eyes, fair skin, has pointed ears, wearing a plain blue shirt, and a pair of black pants and blue running shoes. This young man is named Kuzuki Souji, the son of a teacher at Fuyuki Academy and a foreign woman whom Rider happens to know. He also has been friends with Hikaru and Jinako since elementary.

The other teenager is a girl. She had long, smooth wine red hair that reached her back, a pair of bright golden eyes, ivory skin, and is wearing an elegant, light pink dress that would normally be used for parties of people in high society. This girl is Hikaru and Jinako's other childhood friend, Riko Sakurauchi.

From just one look at the picture, one can already see the tight bonds the four had forged.

Rider held the picture with a pained look. She knew when this picture was taken, after all, being the one who held the camera that took it to begin with.

This picture…was taken during the celebration of Riko's victory in the piano music competition in Tokyo.

* * *

 Jinako felt her eyelids get heavier as she watched through the window of the bus. The warmth of her jacket is really nice under the harsh cold of the rainy days and the air-conditioner of the bus. It's as if her jacket is a walking kotatsu.

As she looked out the roads, Jinako began to think of what has been happening recently. Her childhood friend not only has his grandpa in a critical condition overseas, he also missed the very first death anniversary of his other childhood friend. Not only he might be losing his grandpa, he can't even greet his late friend on her first death anniversary.

It must really hurt to be in his seat right now.

" _That's it. I…will have to do, for now._   _I'll apologize to Riko in his place. But, next year, I will make sure he joins me in the visit. And I gotta make sure Souji joins, too. That prick…he hasn't left that Temple on each and every non-school days since last year. Even had a falling out with Hikaru, too. We've already told him so many times that we can't avenge Riko's death, that we're just kids with no power to bring her killer to justice. Why does he keep on insisting otherwise? Not only is he planning against an adult, he's gonna deal with a really influential politician, too. Why can't he see that it'd hurt us more if he gets in danger?! I'll…find a way to fix all this. I promise, Riko-chan!_ " Jinako swore mentally to herself as she starts falling asleep. For now, she should really think of something else. She wouldn't want to greet Riko with a depressing face now, would she?

Damn, the jacket is really nice to wear. Why can't winter come sooner? Jinako really can't wait to build snowmen with Hikaru…and then punch them in the face right after. Hikaru's horrified look never really gets old.

* * *

  _Hikaru felt the gentle wind caress his face, and as well as the feeling of soft grass…no, rather, this extremely soft sensation on his back…flowers? The young magus sat up, rubbing his eyes as he yawned. What he saw made him rub his eyes again, before taking three seconds to process the place he ended up in. By all obviousness, it was not his room, but instead…_

_He found himself in a field of flowers. An extremely wide field of lowers, a place as big, as he would put it, as far as the eye can see. It was as if there was no limit to where these fields of beautiful assorted flowers would end. He could barely make out a small set of hills from afar, there silhouettes emphasized by the beautiful blue skies with just the right amount of clouds. The only thing that was out of place in this flower field was the gigantic tower right in the middle. The tower felt rather…strange, considering the natural scenery. For Hikaru, it reminded him of one of the scoldings Arturia gave him when he was a kid; 'Perverts are always taken to a solitary tower after death, all alone for eternity for doing unacceptable things to others.'_

_When that very thought was finished in his head, Hikaru heard a loud sneeze behind him. This causes the young magus to turn behind him in alarm, and sees a mysterious person in white, long sleeved hooded robes, carrying a wooden staff with a spiral, flower themed tip. A few heaved breaths can be heard from the robed person, obviously recovering from his earlier sneeze. Not forgetting etiquette, Hikaru decides to greet first._

" _Uhm…excuse me. I really don't wanna bother you or something, but mind telling me where is this place?" Hikaru asked the hooded person. Wherever this place is, it certainly isn't his room back on Planeptune's Basilicom._

_The strange person, whose hood exposed his mouth and the area around the neck, clears his throat and gives a smile that gave Hikaru conniptions. It felt like he is about to talk to someone about to smuggle him some succubus-themed eroges…_

" _Ah, forgive my rudeness, young hero. My sneeze had cut off what would have been my grand greeting!" The strange hooded person spoke in a dramatically happy tone, reminding Hikaru of those storytelling bards found in taverns from the early 2000's medieval-themed RPG's. A sign of an incoming annoying story telling sequence. Hikaru braced himself nonetheless…_

" _Welcome to the land of everlasting utopia! I am but a humble resident of this place. And thus, as humble as I should be, I do not possess a name worthy enough to deserve recognition from you, oh blooming hero." The hooded man stated, making a dramatic bow as he finished his speech._

' _Ah, I guess I was wrong about him. Let's not cut him off.' Hikaru thought to himself with relief. The hooded man somehow sensed this, and thus, popped a small smirk on his face._

" _I have but one thing I can offer to you, dear hero…" The hooded man started to speak, not losing his dramatic edge a bit. Meanwhile, upon hearing the word 'offer', multiple things popped out excitedly in his head. What could this offer be? A legendary sword? An untouchable armor forged by fairies? An Elven Princess from afar looking for a hero to save her kingdom and asked this hooded man for help looking for that hero? Hikaru's hormones and focus jumped at the last one._

" _And that offering…is a story! Would you like to hear the story of a king who pulled the holy blade from the stone?" The hooded man declares, with a victorious grin on his face. On his expectations, Hikaru indeed let out a long groan of suffering, accompanied by a face palm. From both hands._

' _Oh, son of a bitch! That Arthurian shit again?! It's that shit again, isn't it?!' Hikaru mentally complained. By all seriousness, while it isn't that bad, hearing the same story over and over was greatly irritating in the long run. To think that dreaded little bedtime story would chase him ALL the way to another WORLD…_

' _Goddamn it all, King Arthur! The f*ck, dude?! Stop haunting me with your NTR heavy shit, man! I'm really getting tired of hearing you getting cucked out of your wife and your kingdom ALL THE TIME before my sleep! And now you're chasing me IN my sleep too?! Let me sleep, I'm begging you!' Hikaru felt himself hyperventilate in annoyance. It truly is taking all of his willpower to stop himself from activating his Mana Ignition and bolt it off from there. The young magus took deep breaths to calm himself, whilst the hooded man in front of him was a cow's fart away from laughing his head off…but resists it, and continues talking._

" _Very well. It all began when-"_

_At that line, Hikaru snapped._

" _You know what? Being polite is a pain in my sleep deprived ass._ ** _Ignition, On!_** _" Hikaru declared in an irritated voice as magic energy danced around him in the form of golden lightning bolts. Swiftly turning his back from the annoying hooded man, Hikaru bolted off from the area near the tower, and literally went straight for the hills in his sight. The hooded man, left behind, sighs not in disappointment, but in nostalgia._

" _Reminds me when I first tried talking to the young king. Running away from just the moment I opened my mouth. Heh. Well, at least this one didn't call me a peeping tom and chucked my face with a horse shoe." The hooded man mutters fondly, before waving his staff in front of him, causing him to disintegrate into velvet colored flower petals._

* * *

 " _Hah…hah…man, isn't there any other story than, uh, Arthurian Legend?! A precise retelling of the Mahabharata can be refreshing for a change!" Hikaru complained, having taken a seat beneath a wide tree on top of a hill of flowers. Despite the brightly shining sun, he felt little to no heat, but at the same time, the temperature is not so cold either. It felt like he was in a land of eternal spring. In fact, it was the beautiful sight around him that calmed him down rather fast. The entire place felt like paradise…_

" _Ah, if the Legend of the Sword in the Stone is tiring you, might I make a suggestion in response?" The voice of the hooded man resounded from Hikaru's right side, causing him to jump off the ground like a cat on steroids._

" _The bloody hell, man?! Don't do that!" Hikaru complained rather vocally, eliciting a chuckle from the hooded man._

" _I apologize for the tiny heart attack, young hero. That was certainly not my intention. Now…might I voice my suggestion?" The hooded man bows sincerely, his tone of voice now gentle and soothing, befitting of an actual storyteller, unlike the bombastic display from earlier. Somehow not able to get angry anymore, Hikaru sighs while face-palming, and decides to listen._

" _If your heart is already tired of hearing legends of someone else…then why not forge your own? A tale, crafted by your own hands…its ending decided by you and you alone, its consequences for you to face. Its merits for you to harvest. A sound suggestion, is it not?" The hooded man stated, before gesturing to a nearby area with his left hand. Hikaru's sight followed, revealing to him an ornate great sword with a shining, beautiful dark violet blade, its shine perfectly resembling what would be the starless night sky if it was crafted into a single sword. The blade's handle and guard, however, does remind Hikaru of Caliburn, only with a purple color scheme. Attracted by the sword, Hikaru moved by instinct towards the sword in the stone, and was about to reach out to it, when…_

" _Wait, dear hero. Are you sure about this?" The hooded man interrupts, his tone serious, yet not losing its gentle, soothing effect on any listener as he continued, "To grab that blade…means you will shoulder the burden of saving the existence of beings known as 'humanity', and to lead them for their survival, and theirs alone. To wield that sword means you will dedicate every fiber of your own existence for someone else's, not only in your lifetime, but for the rest of eternity, even as the earth dies and humanity shall sail and conquer the stars. To grasp that legendary blade means you wish to be the hero of an unending legend. That…is what is expected of the one who shall place his grip onto the Sword that brings back the Blue Skies to all, with the payment of Eternal Servitude for oneself. Now…is this a path you wish to take?" The hooded man asks._

_Hikaru looked at the hooded man, and then back at the violet bladed sword. Now…that is a tough question. Sure, the promise of becoming a legend worthy hero is there, but…what is it that the hooded man meant by 'Eternal Servitude'? But, in turn, he did mention about saving humanity. As someone who aspires to be a legend, Hikaru would like to achieve that in some way, too. Does that mean…getting this blade in front of him will allow that?_

_Well, it can't be helped, Hikaru thought. With great power, comes great responsibility. A legendary hero has duties to fulfill. And that is, of course, saving lives, preventing disasters, and all in all, putting a smile on everyone's faces. But, at the same time…won't that mean he'll lose important aspect of himself?_

" _Hey, does that mean…grasping this sword means I have to go through losing my humanity? For everyone else?" Hikaru asked. The hooded man gives a nod, his expression unreadable thanks to his hood._

" _Yes. After all, that is what it means to be a hero. To dedicate oneself for others' happiness, while abdicating your own-"_

" _Yeah,_ _I'd disagree with that." Hikaru interrupted._

_That answer gave the hooded man quite a surprise. What does the young magus mean by that answer? The hooded man lets curiousity get the better of him, and decides to voice his question._

" _Hoh? Mind telling why?" The hooded man asked._

" _Just because you decided to put a smile on everyone's faces doesn't mean you can't go and grab the same kind of happiness yourself. It is only when you know how it's like to both be sad AND to be happy that you can know exactly how and why you must do all you can to make everyone smile! You can't expect to drive a car without knowing how both its parts and controls work! It's kinda the same with people, too! How can you expect to make someone smile when you yourself do not know how to do exactly just that?" Hikaru replied what is inside his mind and heart. Happiness can only be given by those who know both it and sadness. By knowing both, one can know how to help another person going through similar pain and have them trudge through it all with strength. You can't help someone you can't understand after all. By not knowing pain, you will just hurt someone more. By not knowing happiness, you cannot give any of it to anyone else. It's pretty much common sense at this point, Hikaru thought._

_Did the heroes of old really struggled with these kind of things?_

" _I see. So your definition of a 'Hero' is one who makes everyone smile whilst smiling alongside them. One who isn't alone in his endeavors. So young…and naïve. If that is the case, then, will you answer another question for me?" The hooded man asks again. This time, instead of a vocal answer, Hikaru gave only a firm nod and a stare. The hooded man then clears his throat._

" _When the world is in danger of incineration, which shall be your priority? You are given two choices. Your loved ones, or will it be the rest of humanity?" The hooded man asks._

_The supposedly simple question pierced Hikaru like a cannon ball through a human target._

_He never really thought of such things, seeing that the world he's saving isn't even his own, nor are his loved ones in danger. But…what if such a time will come? When all of his world's humanity is in danger, along with his loved ones?_

_Hikaru placed a hand onto his chest…_

_It was in that very moment that an idea struck. Well, a stupid one, by his own admittance. But…it is still an idea he's more than willing to try. And WILL try should the time come. For an egotistic person like him, the answer should be obvious._

" _If that's the case, then…I'll save both!" Hikaru declared. The hooded man coughed in response._

" _That…would take a miracle to work, young hero." The hooded one mused._

" _Then I'll become a Worker of Miracles, and pull it off in ways anyone will not expect!" Hikaru retorted._

" _The world doesn't work that way, young hero. Failure is always an expectation for humans in such scenarios…" The hooded man replied, his tone somewhat saddened at the last part. Hikaru, however, did not weaken his willpower even for a bit, and replied._

" _Then I'll change the world till it befits what I need for my miracle…just like what humanity does best! And you expect me to fail? It seems you forgot that we humans never really do things as expected by others, as proven in our own history. If those guys can pull it off,_ ** _then I can, too._** _"_ _Hikaru replied, this time his voice reflecting resolution rather than despair the hooded man expected. Well, that is one expectation defied. Although, this…optimism, and ego, it certainly does remind the hooded man of a certain red-clad Knight of the Round Table…_

… _hopefully, the young hero in front of him will never get in contact with that one. The boy's ego is already showing off its massive size. It surely does not need any size increase soon._

_And, change the world itself to befit what saves humanity? Hopefully, Gaia or Alaya didn't hear that one. There are enough contracted, despair filled Counter-Guardians already. This innocent child certainly does not need to join their numbers…_

_But, even then, the horrid fate that awaits the young man at the end of this journey…will it change?_

" _Very well. If your resolve is true and unyielding, then grasp that blade. Show me…the strength of thy resolve." The hooded man declared. If his resolve truly is undefeatable, then…he can accept the road to his future, can he not?_

" _No need to ask. Here goes!" Hikaru declared, putting his hands onto the sword's handle. The moment his hands touched the weapon…_

" _Oh, son of a-"_

… _A blast of purple colored lightning sent Hikaru flying far away from the weapon. From afar, he's no different from a tennis ball sent flying by a powerful overhead strike from a tennis rocket. And yet, even with the winds filling his ears, the hooded man's gentle voice echoed in his mind, like he was speaking to Hikaru via telepathy._

" _Ah, it seems that you are not yet ready. Your heart is too clouded with vengeance, your mind still immature and fogged with despair deep within, and most of all…you are not being honest with what you truly desire, as proven by your answers to_ _ **all**_ _ **my questions**_ _. You have a selfish wish you desperately want to be granted with the Holy Grail, don't you? But do not worry. For I am here, and my purpose is to make sure you wield that blade someday, after you have truly overcome yourself and had finally accepted your true goal, deep within your heart. Till then, I shall guide you in your dreams and nurture you to be the hero of Legend, worthy of wielding humanity's last hope…when the land finally becomes steel…"_

_The Knight Arm has completely and utterly rejected the boy, clearly indicating that his heart and mind are not yet ready, that he is still unsure of his wish, and thus, showing his lack of resolve. Looks like there shall be a long, long growth to be observed and to wait for. The hooded man has no choice. He will have to carefully observe the young hero, and guide him properly, even against his own wishes of letting the boy live a normal life after the recently begun Holy Grail War. May his Dear King forgive him someday. Ah, this is why he dislikes his own Clairvoyance at times. Such unpleasant things to be seen and to prepare for. Like a future clad in steel and humanity's complete extinction even before the skies are stained red._

_Hikaru felt his consciousness fade, maybe whether from the lightning bolt, or maybe because the dream is finally ending. He does, however, voices one last protest…_

" _That's not true! I really do want to save both the world and my loved ones! I can't just choose between them like that!" Hikaru shouted in mid-air, only for the hooded man from below to sorrowfully shake his head, before finally speaking via telepathy again._

" _Unfortunately, that answer would be pointless for now, as you shall forget your memories of this place each time you leave. But don't worry; as the memories of our past encounters will always return to you when you return here in the midst of your sleep. Until then, I shall watch you grow, oh young hero of humanity…and, may you find your True Desire before this War of yours ends."_

_The Hooded Man's voice eventually faded away. However, as soon as his attention went away from that person, a haunting thought entered the boy's mind._

_A legendary blade has just…rejected him. A blade that was meant to make him a hero. Why did it reject him? What had he done wrong in his pursuit of becoming a Hero of Legend? What is it that he needs to do be recognized as a True Hero? What is it that he lacked to deserve that sword which could save everyone he wishes to?_

_Why does his wish have to be completely selfish? To begin with, heroes are just there to save the world and enjoy the peace he attained, and to be an awesome figure the world will look up to, right? So…why isn't his proclamation of wanting to save the world enough?_

_That doubt remained planted in Hikaru's heart, even as his memories of the dream faded away…_

* * *

 The sounds of an alarm clock smacked Hikaru's sleep like a Matador getting launched into the air by a raging buffalo. The young magus groaned in annoyance as he turns off the alarm with a non-lethal, but accurately done smack down with his left hand. No matter world he sleeps in, waking up early really is a pain the arse. Sitting up, Hikaru twitched in slight surprise as he hears the bathroom door of his room open.

Wait, he didn't remember letting anyone in yesterday, so why in the world-

The young magus' question has been answered as Kiyohime exits out of the bathroom door, with the sensation of freshly heated water emanating from behind her, indicating that she had somewhat readied the bathing water in the tub of Hikaru's room. The young magus' eyes slightly widened in surprise. Is this…

…Is this woman in front of him truly the best waifu material in the planet?! Is she really the same woman from the legend? Why did that monk in the story reject Kiyohime for?! Anyone being chased after by a waifish beauty like her would melt by their knees in the modern world, monk or not!

"Good morning, Kiyohime-san." Hikaru says before yawning a bit, "I know it's funny to ask, but, how did you get into my room?"

"Well, I decided to make myself a spare key. I can't leave you alone all the time after all, with you waking up late and missing breakfast if no one decides to shake you awake." Kiyohime explains as she points to the alarm clock. Ah, so that's how he got an alarm clock in the first place, Hikaru thought. Although, about the spare key…and for some reason, Kiyohime looks tense, as if expecting him to say something.

"You know, if it was just the spare key you wanted, you could've just asked me. I would've given it to you no problem!" Hikaru says with a smile.

Kiyohime twitched. This was  _ **not**_ the answer she expected. The Berserker was so surprised, she could only make small, inaudible gasps with wide eyes. Hikaru noticed this, and shook his head gently as he kept speaking with his smile still unfading.

"Besides, many doors end up getting broken from getting unlocked with custom made keys, both electric and old school, you know? I'd rather not let that happen to my door, since I really don't wanna be blocked out in case of emergencies or something, like a fire, a tsunami, or an earthquake." Hikaru explains. As he continued, he accidentally takes a look at the clock, and sees that the time is exactly 7:07. Remembering the breakfast incident the day before, Hikaru quickly returns attention to Kiyohime, "Kiyohime-san, I'd really like to thank you for preparing the bathwater. I really appreciate it."

Kiyohime gets jolted back to reality, and manages to understand what her master has just said, "Ah, yes, I did just that. Ufufufufu, you're welcome, my dear master." Kiyohime declares, bowing a bit with a smile on her face. A really happy smile that made her shine brighter, Hikaru noted. As usual, the Servant did not fail to re-ignite the young magus' happy mood. That smile of hers really is like a drug. An amazing, non-lethal drug of the highest rarity. And of course,  _it's really addictive._

"On that note, can I ask for a favor, Kiyohime-san?" Hikaru asked, causing his Servant to raise her head.

"You need only to give me orders, my master. No need to be so…kind." Kiyohime replies, only for her to earn a shook head from Hikaru.

"Nope! I would like to ask this favor as a friend, not as your Master. Is that okay with you?" Hikaru says with another smile, earning him another surprised look from Kiyohime. The Berserker felt her chest heave a bit. Such kindness…she certainly did not see this coming. Despite being unsure, the Berserker gave a nod to her Master, while giving him a small smile to hide her genuine confusion.

"I see. Thank you for this, Kiyohime-san. Now…please, hurry to the dining room, and protect our share of breakfast from the greedy purple goddess! This a battle of life and death for us, and we cannot go down without a fight!" Hikaru declares like a badly paid stage actor, causing Kiyohime to giggle in amusement.

"I will…Hikaru-sama~!" Kiyohime replied, with gusto in her voice, and her mood improved. With a bow, she leaves quickly via the front door of Hikaru's room. Meanwhile, the young magus himself bolts off towards the wardrobe of his room, and from it takes out his towel and clothes for the day. Now that he thought about it…MAGES did mention to him yesterday night about his combat gear being sent to his wardrobe before he came home from Ruler's Castle, as well as handling him some Sword Artes Tomes and Debuff Artes Tome he got instructed to read and learn the very same night. It should be around here inside…

"Ah, found it!"

He needs to try them on and test them out, along with the Sword Artes Books and Debuff Artes Books MAGES instructed him to learn and test out as well. Now that he thought about it…there doesn't seem to be any rain today, and Neptune mentioned about there being Monster Slaying jobs at the guild arriving just at the start of the week.

For the Magus, this would be a good chance to test his equipments, Artes, and his Servant in battle. And thus, he hurries for the bathroom, eager to start the tests early as much as possible…

* * *

 The sounds of rain drops echoed faintly from the windows of the dining room. The only other sound that made itself known in the same room was the sounds of Compa and Kiyohime cooking, as the rest of the occupants around the dining table were…in a tired state, thanks to the comfortable warmth that the room provided, in great contrast to the cold air of the light rain outside. Neptune was downright clonked out, with a bit of drool from her slightly opened mouth, IF was nodding off, before snapping awake at a set interval of a few minutes before nodding off again, and Histoire was just comfortable reading a book whilst sipping tea. Tia was just…sitting straight, but with her eyes closed, and making a light snore.

The sounds of the door swinging open did not disturb the tired occupants, except for Histoire, who takes a look. Entering the room was Hikaru, now all clad in his Planeptunian Magus Combat Gear.

It consisted of a long, opened silver-buttoned velvet coat with three separate coattails. A golden, draconic pattern embroidery runs around the collar, with a dragon's head design over the coat's right shoulder, and its tail slinking down the left, all the way to the bottom of the coat. A golden lining runs across the edges of the coat. Each cuff of the coat also possesses four gold buttoned straps with a gold lining. Beneath the coat is a tucked in, black turtle-neck sleeveless shirt with protective runes around the chest and the back, and a pair of black pants held by a black belt with a golden buckle. A pair of combat boots is worn on the feet, and a pair of black leather gloves is worn on the hands.

The very threads of the clothing, as is standard for the uniform, are heavily magic resistant. Physical attacks, however, must still be manually handled with caution, and with tons of guarding and dodging. Magus are supposedly long-ranged spell caster combatants, after all.

The Magus apprentice also appears to carry a few books with him, which Histoire recognized as books of magic artes.

"Finally received the Planeptunian Magus Uniform, I see. Going for a job today, Hikaru-kun?" Histoire asked with a small smile, earning her a nod and a big, childish smile from the uniformed Magus Apprentice, who then sits beside Neptune.

"Well, not right now, but I'm planning to go for a quick monster-slaying job this afternoon, for testing my Sword Artes, and seeing Kiyohime's abilities in combat. The weather broadcast did say that the rain will stop around noon." Hikaru explained, before putting his pile of books on the empty seat beside him. A familiar scent gets caught at his nose, causing his eyes to follow the scent, eventually arriving at the teapot near Histoire. The Oracle catches this, and promptly calls out.

"Would you like a cup, Hikaru-kun?"

"Yup! One cup, with three teaspoons of sugar, please!" Hikaru replied cheerily, like that of an excited child, causing Histoire to chuckle a bit. At least, he's a polite child.

And thus, while waiting for the nice breakfast, Hikaru took to start reading his Swords Artes books, while planning to follow it up with the Tome of Debuff Artes. Why the latter, one might ask?

Because, by his own realization, some enemies, especially magical ones, just love powering up a lot for a powerful strike, more so when they have access to reinforcement magic artes. Even more so when it's a strength type enhancement. And as such, what would be the best counter for this kind of enemy?

MAGES gave her apprentice quite the list.

Spell Artes that remove reinforcement spell effects on targets in a specific area and spells that weaken and de-buff a group of targets. Most specifically, Spell Artes that weaken physical and magical strength, Spell Artes that soften armor and defenses, and Spells Artes weakening the entirety of an enemy's five senses, which in turn will also include the enemy's reaction speed thanks to the weakened senses. That's not to mention, as a Master, one of the biggest roles MAGES advised Hikaru to have in a Servant to Servant battle is to be a full-on support to his Servants. Which means that the Artes he must primarily focus on are his Reinforcement, Support and Debuff Spell Artes, and his Sword Artes. Offensive Spell Artes are to be ignored for the meantime. Kiyohime herself declared she can cover for the mid-range to long-ranged magic combat situations, anyway.

And besides, as dictated by what he knows and by what common sense tells him, Hikaru knew that no matter what kind Ultimate or High Ranked Sword or Spell Artes he learns, he's just a level 1 random encounter to a Legendary Heroic Spirit. And thus, unless desperate measures are severely needed, he must leave all Servant battles to his Servants. No other two ways about that.

As time passed by his reading, Hikaru could smell the scent of eggs, ham, soup, and hotdogs becoming stronger each minute…

* * *

 "Alright everyone! Breakfast is ready. Please wake up~!" Compa declared aloud in a cheerful voice as she emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray on each of her hands. One tray carried two plates filled with hotdogs, while the other had two plates with bacon in it. The sweet smell of viand roused Tia, IF and Neptune from their naps, and broke Hikaru and Histoire from their tea-induced high.

"We have made a lot of energy filling food for today. Please eat as much as you can, everyone." Kiyohime announces as she follows after Compa, while also carrying trays on both hands. One tray has two plates with both scrambled and sunny side eggs, while the other tray has the large bowl with the soup, which Hikaru recognized as mushroom soup from just its scent. Well, this is quite the mish mash of breakfast styles. It was basically a Japanese rice and soup breakfast, with hotdogs, bacon, and eggs in place of the fish. Well, unless the fish was cooked by his father, Hikaru prefers this mixed breakfast set-up.

"Hikaru-kun, can you bring over the rice cooker? I think it might be done cooking now…" Histoire calls out with a soft voice. Hikaru gave her a thumbs up in reply, and eagerly gets off from his seat. In a few seconds, the breakfast set is now complete on the table. The occupants wasted no time beginning to eat, with Neptune and Hikaru looking like their competing on who gets the most of the hotdogs and rice. Histoire palmed her face at the childish display, while Compa and Kiyohime smiled at their cooking being fought over. IF just quietly ate as much as she can from the bacon and scrambled eggs, eager to not be left hungry from the war of the two gluttons. Tia, meanwhile, was silently and swiftly gathering her own supplies, but not eating them, instead prompting to stare at Hikaru and Neptune compete with eating as much as possible.

"So, by the way, where's Sensei? She's on a diet or something?" Hikaru asked Histoire, before devouring his set of hotdogs, eggs, and mushroom soup soaked rice. Neptune saw the last one, and also decides to embrace efficiency by also pouring her soup on her rice, before devouring her own supplies. Tia tilted her head at the display, and thinking this to be some new way of eating for humanity, took a small bowl to place soup on, and placed it beside her own rice bowl, but not eating it like the rest of her horde.

"Ah, MAGES, you ask? She's decided to make her own food down at the workshop downstairs. She's busy searching for information on the internet and from her contacts on the locations of the other Catalyst dungeons, as well as any information on anyone who might have been courageous enough to go inside and saw things we might need to know before our next Catalyst Raid. On that note, IF-san is also doing the fieldwork variation of the same search. If you've got time away from training, and in a healthy state, mind helping either of them once in a while, Hikaru-kun?"

Hikaru tilted his head at the request. Why does she even need to ask?

"No problem! The moment I have a large time away from training, I'll do what I can to help out." Hikaru cheerfully replied.

"Thank you, Hikaru-kun. I'm sorry for asking you this when you're supposed to focus on preparing yourself and your Servant for future battles. We are really short-staffed right now, and I can't rely on the Basilicom's personnel for the search, as they might find out something is amiss and might end up getting information that can cause mass panic on the public…" Histoire explained, her tone a little tired and exasperated. Hikaru, however, only shook his head and gave a small, gentle smile to assure the Oracle of Planeptune of his choices to help.

"Don't worry about it, Histoire-san. All of us  _are_ part of this Holy Grail War, after all. We gotta get all the hands we can get." Hikaru replied, before focusing back on his food. However, something was different from his plate. The hotdogs…he had at least 2 more before he started talking. Why did one remain-

"Nep, that's bad table manners, you know?" IF commented with a smirk, causing Neptune to gasp and began devouring the hotdog she has on her fork, all the while giving IF a look of betrayal. The veteran brunette adventurer just shrugged and waved at Hikaru, before pointing towards Neptune's general direction.

Hikaru quickly looked at the direction of the purple-haired goddess…and finds her chewing on a hotdog faster than a meat grinder, following it up with a burp after finishing, and then smiling sheepishly…before bolting it off from the dining table to the door…

Oh, that does it, Hikaru thought.

"What in the-Get over here!" Hikaru roared, getting off his chair and making chase after Neptune. Meanwhile, Histoire face-palmed at the sight. Children these days. Kiyohime and IF sighed, a little exasperated at the lack of table manners shown by the Goddess of Planeptune and her Champion. The sounds of Neptune laughing and Hikaru screaming for revenge were echoing through the halls of the Basilicom's top floor once more, just like the months before…

Meanwhile, Tia makes a smile, and out of her six horded hotdogs, she takes two hotdogs and places them on Hikaru's plate, and also takes another two and places them on Neptune's, like a gentle mother who makes a move to stop her children from fighting with an affectionate, loving maneuver. Seeing this display, Histoire, IF, Kiyohime, and Compa made a small smile, before continuing to eat.

* * *

 The clock has struck three O'clock. The afternoon sun shone with bright orange as it began to descend into the distance, with the leftover clouds from the rain earlier slightly causing obstructions to the sun's light, creating beautiful orange rays that poured from the sky.

Hikaru took in the cool, gentle winds that charge from in front of him, enjoying it as he walked towards his destination, an area called ' _Virtua Forest_ ', something that Neptune described as a beginner's area, and where MAGES recommended to test out any new spell he wants to learn or master. Following behind him is his Servant, Kiyohime, wearing a smile on her face.

For Berserker, being able to go on trips like these is truly great. She has always been fond of traveling, after all, and…to be able to enjoy her first trip with her master, it was more than just great. It was amazing. Travelling through the forests to enjoy the sights, search for some specific herbs asked for by Histoire, then going to the nearby village to rest for the night…This kind of trip was something Kiyohime had always wished to do even back in life.

"So, Hikaru-sama, what were we supposed to do here once more?" Kiyohime asked her Master, who then looked back with an excited expression.

"Well, we're going on an adventure!" Hikaru happily blurted out, before realizing what he just said, and proceeding to sheepishly clear his throat before talking again, "I mean…the Planeptune guild did send me out on a job here to cull some…uh…dogoos. You know, those jelly like things with dog heads? And, oh, we gotta get those herbs Histoire-san asked for, too. Those…Sun Dew Herbs that only sprout off the ground during early mornings? I think that's what Histoire-san told me, and that we gotta sleep at an inn at the nearby village to make sure we can wake up early tomorrow. I heard they serve some sort of exotic style grilled meat at that inn IF mentioned!" Hikaru explained, his tone being childishly excited. Kiyohime smiled, seeing that her Master seems to enjoy the same things as she does…without having to pelt him in flex tapes and drag him outside.

"Although, on that note, are you really okay with joining me, Kiyohime-san? I mean, you might want to chill off rather than do something like this." Hikaru asked. While he does know from what little time he had with his Servant that she's the type who'd probably follow him straight to a pool of lava, the Magus Apprentice thought that he should at least have the mind to see if Berserker is at least okay with goofing around. That, and he needed to find a way to get her talking and to try and get closer to her. If he can do just that, Hikaru believes that cooperation during battle shouldn't be too difficult. Camaraderie IS a big factor in group combat, and seeing that he'll eventually lead a group of Servants in the future, the Magus Apprentice thought that he should at least get off the Internet-or rather, InterNep for shit-posting at Futaba-or rather, Neputaba Channel during his free time, and actually practice his social skills in order to connect with his Servants better.

He'd probably live longer in this Holy Grail War that way. That, and thank God there is still something resembling the Internet in this parallel world. Hikaru didn't know what he is supposed to do for a hobby had he been chucked in a medieval era parallel world.

…Well, they do have red-light districts in those eras, right…?

Hikaru felt heat run up his face, causing him to shake it off. At the same time, Kiyohime stopped walking so suddenly, earning her Hikaru's attention. Could it be she saw something she liked?

"Master…" Kiyohime's face showed no emotion, her eyes focused somewhere far, "We have guests. Around 14 of them, something small, and...bouncy. Shall I take care of them right here, Master?" The Servant asked, her stoic face not changing in one bit. At that moment, Hikaru felt heat rise up his chest, his own heartbeat becoming stronger and louder. It was a sensation he has grown to have after entering life-threatening battles in the entirety of four months he has been in Gameindustri, especially from all the hands-on training that MAGES would take him to. This feeling, this heat, this heartbeat…Hikaru recognized this familiar sensation…

_This sensation of thrill and excitement._

Hikaru drew Caliburn from its sheath that hung on his back, stabbing the sword down on the ground in front of him, and rests both his hands atop the end of the handle, "We were tasked with slaying around 30 of those dogoos. Berserker, I order you: Show me your strength by helping me in taking down all fourteen!" Hikaru declared with a big, excited smirk on his face. Kiyohime, in turn, gives a small bow to her Master, then proceeds to slowly walk to the direction where she sensed the presence of 12 living beings, before stopping in between where her Master stood and where she felt the presence.

And true to the Servant's words, something did come out of the nearby tall bushes. They looked like balls of blue jelly bouncing around, with a face of a cute dog emoticon plastered upfront to serve as their faces. The jelly-like monsters would make some sort of unintelligible sound as they bounced, slowly but steadily inching to where Hikaru and Kiyohime stood. The Berserker smiled, her eyes cold in contrast to the flames that danced around her.

"Very well, Master. Please…watch me. Watch me carefully. Observe every second of me as I grant your wish…and let yourself fall for me!" Kiyohime elegantly declared aloud, before calling forth multiple blue fireballs in front of her, their flames making loud cackling sounds as they danced to the winds of the forest. Berserker then swings her fan horizontally in a dignified fashion, sending forth the fire balls from earlier like missiles towards the unfortunate four dogoos that appeared. Before the attack even landed, Kiyohime rinsed an repeated her actions ina steady, continuous rhythm, with the direction of where she would swing her fan and how she would move her body changing with each repetition, firing missiles of fireballs that caused a explosions at each time they landed.

For Hikaru, who observed from behind, it was like seeing Kiyohime perform a traditional, elegant Japanese folk dance. A dance of fire with the accompanying explosions and cackling flames as the instruments, and the dying screams of burning dogoos as the vocals. Kiyohime didn't disrupt her dance's rhythm, with the beat of explosions following suite.

Three fireballs blasted the first four dogoos into nothingness. Three more appeared from the same direction as earlier, which them Kiyohime obliterated with another dance of four fireballs, with the resulting explosion sending the after-death pixels of the dogoos flying all over like the petals of a flower bouquet that has been abused like a basketball.

Another quadruplet of dogoos appeared from the bushes from the far left, earning both the Servant and the Master's attention. However, Kiyohime quickly twitched and looked backed at her right side, and saw 3 dogoos hopping from a nearby bush, which is in a closer distance from the Hikaru. The Servant readies her fan and flames, but before she could send out any fire, Hikaru raised a hand in a way that screamed 'stop'.

"Master, what's wrong?" Kiyohime asked, her ehad slightly tilted to the side. In response, Hikaru gave her a small smirk.

"I'll take care of the ones nearby. You take out the ones from afar.!" Hikaru commanded, before heading for the nearby trio of dogoos. Berserker, having heard the command, hesitantly shifts her focus back to the quadruplet of dogoos from afar, readying her fireballs in the process. Berserker waited for a few seconds, before seeing the dogoo quadruplets start separating and making a good distance from each other.

"Such a futile effort. Anyone who gets in the way of my walks with my Master shall know no mercy. Let us dance in flames and ashes~!" Kiyohime states with a dark smile on her face, summoning 12 azure fireballs around her, before waving her fan once more. Instead of being fired, however, the fireballs split into a hundred tinier pieces, around the size of machine gun bullets. Berserker then repeats the process five times, and ends up with a lot of tiny flame bullets dancing around her. Satisfied with the amount, Kiyohime smiled once more.

"Now…let us start~!" The Servant sneered, waving her fan, firing the flame bullets in a sequence and speed that made it look like she was firing an entire squad of machine guns that fired against the poor dogoos. It was not even a fight, to any sane watcher, it looked more like an elegant firing squad execution.

The pixels from the dead dogoos danced around the forests like sakura petals that day…

_Meanwhile, with Hikaru…_

"Ignition, On."

After casting his aria while running, Hikaru stopped at least ten steps away from the dogoo trio, watching them suddenly slow down in their hopping when they saw Hikaru had his attention on them. In that instant, Hikaru proceeds to cast a spell.

"Sukunda." Hikaru uttered the Spell Arte's name. In response, a green colored glyph appeared above the dogoos, before shooting down a wide ray of green light. After being struck by it, the dogoos felt their sight blurred, their ability to catch scent weaken, their tongue unable to taste anything, their hearing feeling like it got clogged, their body feeling a bit numb, and overall, their bodies feeling a lot more heavier than normal. Hikaru saw them slow down a lot more, and by then knew that his Spell Arte worked.

That's right.

Sukunda, a debuff type Spell Arte that weakens the five senses, and making one more susceptible to gravity. Against living beings, it is a useful spell, as it weakens all five main assets of a living body. However, that is also where the Spell Arte's weakness lies; As it relies on crippling the five senses, it can only work on living beings. As such, when used against non-living beings without a working flesh and blood body, or any body type that doesn't utilize any of the five senses, like pre-programmed machines or familiars like golems and automatas, Sukunda is useless.

"Now…for the Sword Artes!" Hikaru declared.

Sword Artes are basically what can be classified as a combination of sword techniques and short ranged magic attacks. It requires charging up mana in specific parts of the body alongside a weapon of choice, and unleashing that mana in the right moment with a chant of the Arte's name as the caster lands the attack is the key to execute Sword Artes.

For the first Arte, Hikaru charges mana on his feet, starting from the knees till his toes, and as well as his right hand, all of the joints connected to it, and the sword with it. The Magus Apprentice charges onward to the first dogoo on closest range, and chants.

" _Tiger Blade!_ "

The sword gets coated in a golden light as Hikaru makes a diagonal rising slash from his right, which was then chained to a jump. The Magus then lands a descending slam with Caliburn as the Arte's finishing strike, successfully cleaving the dogoo in two. After that, the golden light coating Caliburn faded.

Another dogoo attempts to approach Hikaru from the back, only for the Magus to hear the heavy, debuff induced heavy footsteps, and backed off for a distance. Hikaru then charges mana on the same area on his legs and right arm, something which the weakened dogoo sensed, and expected the same attack that killed its brother to kill him as well, causing the monster to prepare to dodge sideways. Hikaru charged forward, while the monster readied for a side jump…

" _Sonic Thrust!_ " Hikaru chanted, raising his sword for a thrust, before suddenly making a calculated slide towards the surprised dogoo, and using the momentum from the slide, Hikaru lands his thrust, coating his sword in a golden light and piercing straight through the dogoo like a hot knife through blue colored butter.

The last dogoo attempts to escape, only for it to be in vain as its Sukunda-afflicted body can only hop so slowly from its weakened senses and feeling the pull of gravity. Hikaru saw this, and does not intend to let it be.

Time to end its suffering.

" _Sukukaja! Tarukaja!_ " Hikaru chanted the Buff Spell Artes' names, causing a pillar of green light followed by a bright orange one to coat him, before fading away. The first one strengthened all his senses and made his body feel a lot more lighter for movement, while the second one strengthened his overall physical power two times over. Feeling the increase in power, Hikaru charged towards the enemy, charged mana on all his four limbs, and chanted…

" _Sword Rain!_ " Caliburn gets coated in golden light as Hikaru lands a series of repeated fast thrusts on the dogoo, before finishing with one power stab that pushed the dogoo a few steps away. However, it did not end there.

" _Aqua Blade!_ " This time, blue colored light that looked like water danced around Caliburn as the Magus Apprentice makes a small leap towards the enemy, before spinning to his right in mid-air as he did so. Using the leap and spin as a momentum, Hikaru lands a heavy, water element powered slam to the dogoo, sending a blast of water from Caliburn as it struck. This, however, was not the final strike. Hikaru draws his blade back, and prepares to chant the name of another Sword Arte…

"Happy Birthday! Go make a wish!  _Heavenly Torrent!_ " Hikaru sneered, then chanted the Sword Arte, sending a rising diagonal slash from his right that sent the dogoo up the air. In the very moment the dogoo went up the air, a dark blue colored glyph appeared from below the monster, homing in on it, which then shot out a powerful, condensed torrent of water that blasted the poor dogoo to death, exploding in pixels as it cried in pain and finally put out of its misery.

Although, as the Magus apprentice himself had read, this isn't the only purpose of the Sword Arte called Heavenly Torrent. Its true function lies when used against enemies with shields, especially heavy ones. The torrent from the Sword Arte is meant to break through an opening by forcing the enemy's shield upward with great force, allowing the caster of the Sword Arte to land attacks on the shield bearer enemy if even for a short moment.

"Alright, all done!" The Magus Apprentice cheered, before spinning his sword in victory and sheathing it back immediately. He then checks the situation once more, looking back at Kiyohime from afar waving at him. Well, at least he's got a fine start. Fourteen down, sixteen more dogoos more to go. More opportunities to test out his Spell and Sword Artes.

" _On that note, Sukukaja, Sukunda, Tarukaja, Heavenly Torrent, Tiger Blade, Sonic Thrust, and Aqua Blade are confirmed learned and usable. Now…I've still got a few more spells left to test._ " Hikaru mentally commented as he headed to where Kiyohime is, who then gave a smile.

"Did I do a good job, Master?" The Servant asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement Hikaru recognized. Ah, this is one of those ' _Give me praise for my hardwork_ ' scenarios, the Master realized. Even outside of eroges, this kind of things can happen even in just simple group work, and giving praise to members who did even just at least an average job is already a normal courtesy back home. However, this is where Hikaru realized a small problem.

How is he going to give his Servant a praise that didn't sound like it was just out of courtesy?

Sure, he's had quite a lot of scenarios where he had to take on school work that requires a group of two students. Sure, he'd always choose a female partner, but, that female would always be his childhood friend, namely Jinako. He never had a ' _non-childhood friend_ ' female classmate paired up with on school works, and even if he did get in a group with them, it would be on groups that number more than four or five. Hikaru could not try to handle any female that he wasn't already close with, and thus, would always act like a courteous gentleman to any female schoolmates that isn't his childhood friends, engaging only in short, casual conversation, and the occasional courteous compliments to the girl, and never going beyond further that.

What did Hikaru learn, however, was that praises and compliments are quite the formidable equipment when escaping conversations. And that being so mysterious makes one look charismatic, for some reason he could not understand.

And thus, Hikaru is facing a big dilemma. What should he say?

"…Yup, you did great! Your explosions are pretty damn cool. I've never seen so much fire in my life!" Hikaru blurted out, much to his own surprise. What did he even say that for?! The Master mentally complained to himself, feeling like his IQ went down a couple notches.  _Thanks a lot, brain,_ he thought. The Master started sweating a few large drops on his back, his heartbeat a little jiggly. Of all times to screw up, it had to be now. Hikaru really felt like hiding in a corner and palm his face repeatedly with a shovel.

"…Ufufufu, thank you for those kind words, Master." Kiyohime replied with her usual smile. Hikaru stared at her.

" _Blessed acid trip, it actually worked!_ " Hikaru thought.

"If you truly love the sight of my flames, then…I shall make sure to bath this entire forest of them for our next battle against the monsters, dear Master~!" Kiyohime stated with her smile unfading, her tone of voice still cheerful and affectionate. Hikaru's jaw dropped in fear and shocked. This was  _not_ the direction he wants things to go into.

" _Okay, it didn't work!_ " Hikaru mentally cursed. He can't just turn the forest into a giant tobacco, now, can he? Last time he checked, even Heracles doesn't have arson fetish.

He will have to pull off damage control.  _No matter what._

"Wait, Kiyohime! Please, don't turn the entire forest into a giant campfire! Just…take it out on only the enemies, right? That should be enough for me." Hikaru explained as gently and as in character as he can, hoping that the Servant would at least listen once. Kiyohime gave a surprised look, before suddenly jumping in joy and cupping both sides of her face while blushing repeatedly. Hikaru only looked in awe. Kiyohime's  _really_  cute when she's acting like a teenager…

"Kyaaah! You called me by name, without honorifics! You truly wished to be  _that_ close to me, Master?! Shall I call you  _Danna-sama_  from now on?!" Kiyohime suddenly happily ranted, before going to Hikaru and cupping his face with great joy. Hikaru stood there, shocked, till he realized the implications of Kiyohime's words.

If it was possible, he'd find a way to turn his brain into a living person, a guy hopefully…

… _And kick it in the nuts. Hard._

_With a Mana Ignition and Tarukaja powered rising kick._

No choice.

Let's do this tsundere style, Hikaru thought. How does Tohsaka-san do it, again?

Oh, right. With a blushing face as red as a tomato, and some stutters here and there. And thus, Hikaru charges up his most embarrassing memories to the brim, painting his face red.

"Wha-what are you talking about?! I didn't say anything like that! L-let's just focus on taking out the monsters for now, Kiyohime-san!" Hikaru _stutters_ , before turning back with a stomp and walking away as fast as possible. Kiyohime, however, was overjoyed to find this new side of her Master.

_Ah, he's so cute! I must make sure to tease him even harder from now on! I just can't get enough of that embarrassed face and that adorable, stuttering voice! Ahh, I wanna pinch those red cheeks,_ Kiyohime mentally celebrated as she follows Hikaru with a big smile, which she hid behind her fan. Hikaru, meanwhile, thinks his act worked…at making Kiyohime stay her excitement by acting tsundere. As in, he truly believes that male tsunderes are a turn off to women. Especially the dedicated types.

Unfortunately for him, it is not how the mind of his Servant worked. Kiyohime has already formulated a thousand methods of teasing and embarrassing her Master, imagining the multiple embarrassed expressions he'll make from this point onward.

On that very moment, Hikaru felt an uncomfortable chill on his back. Should he really not try harder with the tsundere act?

* * *

  _Deep in the trees, beneath the shadows they made, was a being covered in dark velvet armor. The armor appeared to have a draconic theme, with the helmet appearing to have the head of one. On his back is a great sword hidden in its sheath, with the entire thing emanating a thin black mist._

_The helmet seems to have crystals for eyes, and they glowed with an eerie golden light. The impression they made…it felt like hatred, despair, and pain flowed from them like an invisible river, as if crying tears that could not be seen by those without a shred of emotion in their hearts._

_As Kiyohime and Hikaru moved throughout the forest, so did the Armored Being, following and watching them from afar…_

* * *

 "So, are you sensing any of them right now?" Hikaru asked his Servant, who then give a nod to her Master, before pointing to a certain direction in the forest. True to the reply, Hikaru can hear slight sounds of scraping and bouncing on grass, sand, and metal being smacked on by something, indicating the presence of dogoos he's supposed to take down. Giving a silent affirmation to Berserker with a nod, both Servant and Master rushed to the area where they could hear the sounds…

…And finds themselves in front of a gigantic, metal gate surrounded by two watchtowers, being banged and punched by something muscular and blue. Seeing this, Hikaru quickly beckons Kiyohime over, and whispers the set of actions they'll take for the upcoming fight. Kiyohime quickly understands, and whispers back she's ready anytime.

Hikaru gives a thumbs up to Kiyohime, indicating an OK for an attack, but before they could charge in…

" _Please, don't do it, Planeptune Magus! That thing took down our guards and combat Mages!_ " A voice echoed in Hikaru and Kiyohime's minds, causing them to stop silently. The duo quickly recognized this as telepathy, causing Hikaru to silently signal Kiyohime that he'll be the one to do the talking. Berserker gave a nod as an okay, allowing Hikaru to focus on the talk.

" _Don't worry. My partner and I can take care of ourselves just fine. Now…can you tell me what is that body builder on steroids and body paint doing with your gate and why?_ " Hikaru mentally asked, causing the other person on the telepathy line to sigh and probably face palm.

" _Famous last words there, Sir Magus. But, if you insist._ " The person took a deep breath, " _That vile thing banging our gates is a Legionnaire Dogoo, a powerful dogoo formed from the combination of at least 20 of those little monsters. It took down all 20 guards and 10 Mages, and they're all in critical condition, so please, I'm begging you, run while it still hasn't seen you, Sir Magus and his companion!_ "

Hikaru gave a smirk. Talk about taking down two birds with one stone, he thought.

" _Oh, don't get your lingerie in a knot. I can solve your body builder problems in a flash. Now…if you'd excuse us._ " Hikaru replied mentally, before giving Kiyohime the ready signal, which was of course, a thumbs up. Kiyohime begins to summon multiple fireballs as slowly and silently as she can, while Hikaru also prepares to activate Mana Ignition…

After a few seconds, hundreds of hundreds of bullets sized flames slowly and silently danced around Kiyohime, giving Hikaru his cue to move around and try to get the muscular dogoo into spell casting range.

"Ignition, On." The sounds of a church bell rings loudly in Hikaru's head. Golden lightning danced around him as his Magic Circuits flared to life, and boosted his body, " _Sukunda._ "

A green colored glyph appeared above the muscular bodied dogoo, causing it to look up. Before it realized what the glyph was, however, the Spell Arte activated, shooting a green beam from the glyph. The Legionnaire Dogoo defended with its arms…and didn't feel any pain, much to its surprise. The moment it took down its arms, however, it quickly realized what hit it. Its sight became blurry, its tongue cannot taste nor feel even its saliva, it's feeling like it got a clog, its nose can no longer smell the flowers around the gate, and its sense of touch somewhat getting numb, like barely feeling the rough touch of the grasses his feet stood on.

Its sight, however, was still enough to see Hikaru's glowing silhouette, and without hesitation, it charged ferociously, like a raging bull against a Matador. Hikaru, in turn, cast a Buff Spell Arte on himself.

"Sukukaja!" A pillar of green light coated him for a second, before fading out. With his senses and reaction time boosted, Hikaru quickly rolls away from the muscular dogoo's shoulder charge, before bolting off somewhere far from the gate. The Legionnaire Dogoo followed in hot pursuit, somewhat able to move like an Olympic Athlete despite having a weakened set of five senses and still keeps up with a physically and mentally enhanced Hikaru.

For the first time in his life, Hikaru actually felt the slight fear of being chased by a very muscular man wearing nothing but a pink thong.

After barely managing to set up some distance between him and the Legionnaire Dogoo, Hikaru proceeds to cast another Buff Spell Arte.

"Rakukaja! Tarukaja!" Hikaru chanted, coating his body in a pillar of blue light and orange light for a split second, with the first Spell Arte enhancing the toughness of his skin and clothing, as well as the durability of his weapon, and the second Arte boosting his raw physical strength twice over. Hikaru placed himself in a proper combat stance this time around, waiting for the muscular dogoo to come into his sword range.

After all, for the strategy he set to be able to work, he's gonna have to get hurt a bit.

In a few seconds, the Legionnaire Dogoo is in sight, and after seeing Hikaru in a combat stance and seemingly unwilling to run, the dogoo roars and charges, readying for another shoulder charge against the human enemy in front of it. Hikaru, however, kept still, and puts all of his focus onto the charging foe…

" _Wait for it…wait for the very last moment!_ " Hikaru thought as the muscular dogoo reaches him in 3…2…1…

"Oh crap, I screwed up!"

Hikaru swiftly side steps the dogoo's shoulder charge. Due to a miscalculation, Hikaru couldn't initiate what he planned, and decided to improvise.

The Magus Apprentice swore he heard a sonic boom as the Legionnaire Dogoo's shoulder hit air, but wasted no time and proceeds to strike at the monster.

"Hah! Yah! Eat this!"

Hikaru proceeds to land 3 sword strikes, the first hit being a diagonal swing to the left that struck the dogoo's abdomen, the second strike being a rising slice to the right that struck the monster's chest, and the last strike where Hikaru makes a quick spin to his right and uses that as momentum for a powerful, descending slash from the left, making a deep, large cut from the dogoo's chest down to its abdomen.

The Legionnaire Dogoo, however, did not go down easily. It swiftly countered back with a set of rapid punches that Hikaru could barely guard against with Caliburn, with each punch blocked felt more like a cannon ball struck his sword. It felt like his arms were about to tear off from each hit guarded.

The dogoo then proceeds to suddenly crouch, then executes a fast roundhouse kick that Hikaru barely avoided by bending his body backwards. But as he straightened back, he was just in to see the dogoo has crouched again, signifying in that instant that another hard hitting attack is coming…

"Oh just effing balls-OUCH!"

Hikaru screamed in pain as he blocked the spinning, jumping uppercut that the Legionnaire dogoo used. It was powerful enough to send Hikaru flying up a few feet in the air despite guarding the attack, before landing flat on his face to the ground. At that moment, Hikaru could not believe it.

The monster just pulled a  _Shoryuken_  on him.

The Magus Apprentice swiftly goes back up, and sees the muscular dogoo rushing towards him for another shoulder charge. Just what he was waiting for. That choreographed looking attack he needed. This, Hikaru swore, he won't mess up the timing, and…

"Tch!" This time, having anticipated the force of the attack, Hikaru swiftly side steps the dogoo's shoulder charge, and chants a Sword Arte.

" _Sonic Thrust!_ " Caliburn glows with a golden light as Hikaru slides towards the Legionnaire Dogoo and lands a powerful thrust on the monster's left knee joint, piercing it open and forcing the monster to be on one knee in pain. Hikaru wastes no time, and chants a Debuff Spell Arte this time around.

"Rakunda!" Hikaru declares the Spell Arte's name, causing a blue colored glyph to appear from above the Legionnaire dogoo. The glyph then shoots down an azure beam of light, hitting the muscular dogoo with it, severely softening its skin. With the spell landed, Hikaru calls out.

"Berserker,  _now!_ "

In a few seconds, a hail of bullet shaped flames fired from behind the trees near where the Legionnaire Dogoo stood, pelting it a literal bullet hell and blasting it out of existence, leaving nothing but flames and the dead muscular dogoo's pixels dancing beautifully all over like scattered sakura petals in spring.

"All right! We won! You can come out now, Berserker." Hikaru cheered in victory, waving to the nearby trees. In a second, Kiyohime rose from them, also wearing a victorious grin on her face. With that, sounds of cheerful roars can also be heard from inside the close walls around the metal gate from earlier, signifying that the populace inside have somewhat seen the fight, much to the surprise of Master and Servant.

In that moment, the metal gate opens…

* * *

 "Welcome to the Yasudaya Ryokan! Please, enjoy your stay!" The Inn Keeper says as she leads Hikaru and Kiyohime onto a lavish, Japanese style room. In fact, not only the Inn but also the whole village, also named as Uchiura, is pretty damn Japanese in both name and appearance, looking like something right out of Meiji Era Japan. Although, when Hikaru asked as to what the culture of the place is called, the villagers told him that they are of Oriental Origins, from a race that originated in another continent called Lowee. To Hikaru's unsurprised guess, none of the villagers know what the term Japanese means. They kept claiming they were from Lowee, not from anything called Japan.

On another note, the injured guards and mages gave their thanks to Hikaru and Kiyohime, and made sure to pay their debt by covering the expense of Hikaru and Kiyohime's stay at Uchiura's best Inn.

Even Kiyohime is a little shocked, despite having info on the world spoon fed to her by the Holy Grail right before being summoned. But, to both Master and Servant, a little bit of nostalgia isn't so bad. At least there are some foods they are familiar with, much to the surprise of the Inn Keeper when Kiyohime requested specific dishes for dinner.

Taking a seat on the floor, Hikaru makes a sigh of resignation and just decides he should just relax away from the shock and surprises. Or maybe he should think about it a little bit more. Could it be there was also other champions from Japan, or anywhere else on earth that were summoned here?

"I am quite shocked, and still quite shocked from all this cultural resemblances, Master. But…I do agree we should just take it easy from her on. We fulfilled the guild's job request and we're also set for herb hunting tomorrow. As such, please stop staring at the food with such a shocked face and let us eat." Kiyohime pokes her Master's cheeks, causing him to snap out of his thoughts and laugh sheepishly. Hearing his own stomach making sounds in the process, Hikaru decides to follow Kiyohime's advice, and went on to grab his chopsticks. Kiyohime does the same.

"Thanks for the food!" Both Master and Servant declared at the same time, before finally digging in at the feasts before them…

"So, Kiyohime-san…" Hikaru asked, after having just chewed and swallowed a shrimp tempura. If there was a best time to strike up small talks, it would be now, "Did you…have fun today?"

The Berserker swallowed her food, and looks at Hikaru with a satisfied expression.

"Yes. Even with the interruptions, it was quite the fun walk, Master. Planeptune really does have wonderful natural environments, despite the monsters. To be able to wander around such beautiful places…Such is one of the delights of travelling, no?" Kiyohime replied, much to Hikaru's relief. Speaking of walks, Kiyohime does seem fond of them. Maybe he could use that as a subject of a talk…?

"Say, Kiyohime-san, have you always been fond of travelling? You were pretty giddy when I asked you out to go with me for this job." Hikaru asked. Hopefully, he won't end up asking about something sensitive, and keep the conversation light-hearted but still nice to have. He should make a good effort of knowing the person he'll entrust his life on the battlefield, after all.

"Well…yes. Although, to be honest, I haven't really taken a long distance trip on foot in life, like what we did just now. Chasing after lord Anchin was indeed something I did on foot, but it was not certainly a walk around beautiful plains and meadows…" Kiyohime looked outside the window, somewhat looking at something from afar. However, she shook her head and turned her attention back to her Master, and continued, "But trust me when I say this, Master. To be able to walk by your side as we explore this world, not knowing what sort of things awaits us as we take a step…it's truly something I enjoyed, and thinking of all our future journeys in the future around this new world is very exciting for me. I know that we are supposed to focus to win a war here, but…" Kiyohime elegantly takes a cup of sake, gently bringing it near her lips, and looks at Hikaru with an expression he never thought he would see on a Berserker, "There is nothing wrong with slowing down and smelling the beautiful flowers once in a while. After all, that is what it means to live, is it not? To live one's life to the fullest, no matter what our circumstances may be. To admire the world, indulging in its endless natural beauty and mystery…"

It was a gentle, serenely smiling face that gave her onlookers a sense of calm and warmth. As if it was looking at a woman who has lived a wonderful life and is telling everyone else to enjoy it with her. It was that moment that Hikaru remembered one important trivia about his Servant.

_Kiyohime truly is a shining, beautiful flower in a dark, stormy world._

"Yeah…I agree with that. Gotta ease off that stress, after all. These awesome places would make good travelling memories." Hikaru replied, before happily chomping on another shrimp tempura. He then thinks up of a suggestion concerning their journey. Something that will help them appreciate their travels even more…

"Ah, what do you say about taking a camera with us on our next trips, Kiyohime-san? We can preserve some precious memories that way. Don't you think?" Hikaru says, not sure if this would work. Kiyohime looked she was in thought for a few seconds, before finally deciding on something.

"Yes…that would be great. However, might I add a suggestion?" Kiyohime asked, earning her a two thumbs up from Hikaru, the gesture making the Servant smile as she takes a deep breath…

Hikaru can only hope the requests won't be too ridiculous. Hopefully not something under the influence of Madness Enchantment: EX.

"I wish that our photos of those places…would include all of us. You, me, Neptune, and everyone should they be available at the moment." Kiyohime says with a sincere look. Hikaru felt shocked at that. He was expecting a strict request of something like a couple's selfie, but…

_He never saw this coming._

With a gentle smile of his own, Hikaru gives his reply, "If that's what you want, then it's settled. A group picture for every landmark and beautiful, worthy sceneries! We should ask IF on what camera model would be best, though." Hikaru explained, his tone soft, but happy. He hasn't talked this much with someone that isn't family or Jinako in a long time, after all.

Not since last year, at least…

With a giggle, Kiyohime smiled at Hikaru, and gave her own response, "Thank you, Master." Kiyohime says, before moving beside Hikaru, and cupping his face and placing her forehead on his, much to his reddening face. However, it was the words from Kiyohime in this very moment that Hikaru will always remember after all has been said and done…

"Let us make a large album of precious memories, Master. So that no matter what may happen, we'll never forget this journey, this experience we had, whether we win or lose. We'll always be able to look back and laugh, cry, or simply drown in nostalgia as we take a look at this Album of ours. This…is going to be the proof of our existence, of our struggles, of our tale, in this world."

Kiyohime then lets go of a still blushing Hikaru, before giggling at her Master's face. The latter, in turn, goes on to turn away from his Servant and let his face cool off, eating a sushi as he did so. Kiyohime only smiled at her Master's antics.

That embarrassed face is really something that Kiyohime will not need a photo of to remember, indeed.

* * *

  _Unknown to the two, however, was an Armored Being observing them from afar, its glowing golden eyes looking threateningly at the Master still eating away his embarrassment._

_Such futile actions…it is really disgusting to look at. The Armored Being could not fathom how is such a carefree child currently in charge of saving an entire world…_

* * *

  _The next morning…_

After having breakfast back at Yasudaya Ryokan and asking the Inn Keeper about the Sun Dew Herbs, they got a tip that the plants they were looking for can be found at the western and southern meadows around the village, all of which are declared to be monster free. Seeing an opportunity for efficiency, Hikaru instructs Kiyohime to search the western meadows, while he goes for the southern meadows, promising the Berserker that they'll walk slowly on the way home together.

And as such, Hikaru begins his search on the meadows. If he heard correctly, the herbs he's looking for always would surround a golden colored flower with 8 shining long petals. In a meadow full of different flowers, that's gonna be a bit hard, Hikaru admitted. But, then again, he's gonna have to try and do something anyway.

The Magus Apprentice looked around, carefully scanning the ground amidst the flying multi-colored flower petals around him, trying not to be distracted by the beauty of the place. As he kept looking around, however, he does find something…but it was not a herb. It was…

…A familiar figure with its back turned.

The figure appears to be a teenager, with long, wine red hair, ivory skin, and is wearing a school uniform that Hikaru knew wasn't his school's, but, it still felt familiar. Not wanting to look like a to surprise the person by being silent, Hikaru calls out.

"Hey, miss! It's not really safe outside the village, so please head back to-"

Before Hikaru could finish his warning, the figure turned to face him…and caused him to turn silent in genuine shock. The figure was indeed a teenager, now revealed to have bright golden eyes, and a confused look, terrified look. Hikaru quickly recognized this person, after all…

… _It was also someone he saw inside a coffin just an entire year and four months ago._

Hikaru felt himself shake, "Riko? It…it can't be!"

Hikaru approached 'Riko', his footsteps becoming faster and heavier, his heartbeat having a desperate, rapid rhythm. When he reached at least seven steps away from her, he calls out again.

"Riko? Is that really you? Please, answer me!" Hikaru asked, his voice and tone shaking in pain. However, instead of a vocal reply, 'Riko' only looked more terrified, and when she heard her name mentioned, she became completely scared and ran. Hikaru, snapped out of his shaking, chases after 'Riko', his heartbeat and mind still fogged with memories and feelings reviving from one year and four months ago…

' _Say, Hikaru, when I win the competition, you'll treat me to that sweet shop that recently opened, right?_ '

' _Hikaru, did you see me play? Did my song capture your soul, too? I sure can say it captured Jinako's and Souji's, them being slack jawed and all! Hahaha!_ '

' _Hikaru, when you win the Nationals, will you…with me?_ '

The pain of loss…the trauma from it…it's all coming back to him now.

' _No, I can't lose her! Not again! Please…wait for me! Don't disappear on me again, I'm begging you!_ '

Hikaru's mind repeated those lines as he chased after 'Riko', all the way inside the forests near Uchiura. However, when he finally reached the sea of trees, he no longer found 'Riko', but instead…

He could hear the sounds of a piano being played from somewhere in the forest. Taking deep breaths to regain even just a little bit of focus, Hikaru search for the source of the sound, slowly taking steps onto the direction where the sounds come from…

Hikaru knew only one person who can play the piano in his entire life. There's no mistake, this must be-

Hikaru shook his head, and tried hard to focus, and once again goes back on track on stalking the source of the piano sounds…

* * *

 Hikaru found no piano, nor 'Riko', but he did find himself in a very, very large clearing in the forest. It was as if someone made a football stadium on the middle of nature. It felt like some sort of…arena for nature or something similar. Hikaru does feel like that as he looked around.

"Damn it…damn it all! What was that I saw earlier, then?! That was real, right?! I even saw a shadow under her! How can that be anything else-"

"It was but the reflection of your soul's most inner sanctum, boy. Of course, it isn't real."

A deep, ominous voice cuts off Hikaru, who twitches in irritation and anger. The Magus Apprentice looks at the source of the voice, and finds a tall person all covered in ominous, dark purple armor. He seems to be carrying a sword on his back, and it appears to be emanating a thin, black smoke that would occasionally obscure the view of the weapon. Golden lights on the draconic helmet serve as the Armored Being's eyes, its glare not actually deterring Hikaru even a bit, but only served to irritate him more.

"And what do you want, Armored Freak? Don't give me some philosophical bullshit and go straight to the point!" Hikaru retorted, one hand on his sword's handle. The Armored Being laughed, before drawing his own blade. However, before Hikaru could see the blade, the thin black mist covering the weapon became extremely thicker, covering the appearance of the entire great sword. Hikaru still found relief in the fact that he'd at least know the length of the weapon and on what kind of weapon it is. Although, he swore he saw a slight velvet just before the mist became thicker…

"What, no chit-chat or monologue? Straight to the point, eh? Well then…allow me to do just that, kid." The Armored Being replies…before swinging his sword sideways and sending a crescent shaped, velvet energy blast towards Hikaru, who dodges with a high jump. The Magus Apprentice then wastes no time drawing his own blade. If it's a fight he wants, it's a fight he gets.

"Kid, huh? Well…If that's what you think of me, then I wonder if you'll blush real pink after I'm done kicking your ass!  _Ignition, On!_ " Church bells rang loudly in his head. Golden lightning danced around Hikaru's body as his circuits revved up ready for action.

"Sukukaja! Rakukaja! Tarukaja!" Hikaru chanted, causing pillars of green, blue, and orange to coat his body in a split second, strengthening his senses, reaction time, toughened his skin and defenses, and boosted his strength twice over. Now…he's ready.

"I'm not going to ask twice…Have you seen a red-haired girl around here? I just want a yes or no for an answer, then I'll leave!" Hikaru asked, only to receive another energy blast from the enemy sword as a reply. Fine then. Talking will do no good?

_Beat the answer out of that prick._

Hikaru charges onwards, and chants.

" _Sonic Thrust!_ "

"…Predictable."

Hikaru slides and executes a fast thrust attack…only for the Armored Being to casually side step the attack and smacking the back of Hikaru's head with a slap of his armored hand, launching the Magus Apprentice straight to a giant rock face first, cracking the rock in the process whilst leaving little to no damage to Hikaru.

"…I'm not done yet!" Hikaru roared before charging in once again, determined to seek his answer. The Armored Being however, simply does not care.

"Oh, you're about to be. In a few seconds, in fact." The Armored Being commented, before easily dodging a sequence of continuous attacks from Hikaru. The latter then decides for a different approach, and then charges up for another Sword Arte.

"Tiger Blade!" Hikaru chanted, executing a rising slash. The attack, however, was dodged again, and Hikaru received a straight kick to the left ribs for his efforts, with the attack strong enough to smack him straight to a nearby tree. The Magus Apprentice, however, was still not done. He gets back up fast, ignoring all the pain throughout his body, and this time, jumps high into the air, and spins…

" _Aqua Blade!_ " Hikaru chanted, coating Caliburn in what would be water elemental energy dancing around it. This time, Hikaru lands the hit…on the enemy's sword. On the flat side, in fact.

"How embarrassing." The Armored Being casually commented before pushing his sword upwards, sending Hikaru up the air once more, and follows it up with a roundhouse kick to Hikaru's right ribs, sending the Magus Apprentice to the ground face first and literally eating dirt.

However, Hikaru quickly got up just as he fell, and proceeds to rush onto the enemy again, this time…

" _Heavenly Torrent!_ " Hikaru chanted, executing a rising diagonal slash that missed the Armored Being. However, the latter found himself taking a condensed torrent of water to the face a split second after, giving Hikaru the opening he needed. And thus he chanted.

"Sonic Thrust!" Caliburn is coated in golden light as Hikaru slides towards the enemy swiftly and executes a powerful thrust attack…

…Which is then effortlessly parried by the enemy's armored left hand, leaving Hikaru open.

"This is it. Your role ends here, False Envoy. Send my regards to Alaya!"

The Armored Being then executes a fatal riposte, the disgusting sounds of flesh and bones being rend apart echoing through the forest as a result of stabbing his great sword unto Hikaru's vitals in a brutal manner, and proceeds to lift the boy up in the air, skewered with blood flowing down like water from a faucet.

Hikaru swore, if he could see the Armored bastard's face, he might be smirking right now. But…there won't be an opportunity for that. He is already losing both his consciousness and this fight…

"Is this the best a Champion of a War Goddess can do? Disappointing. I guess you truly were destined to lose that red-haired girl no matter what world you're in, after all. Seeing how weak you are, I am not surprised. Now then…die-"

Before any finishing strike could occur, a torrent of pure black colored mud shot forth from the ground, blasting away the Armored Being with great force and causing his sword to drop Hikaru…who was then caught by someone. Someone whom the Armored Being recognized and made him back off in shock and caution.

Holding Hikaru in her hands and healing his wounds with black colored mud…is Tia, her red eyes brightly glowing with hatred and disgust, directing all these emotions to the Armored Being before her. The latter, in turn, grips his blade in anger and frustration.

"I see. So you've grown fond of this brat, huh? You've got shit taste when it comes to playing favorites with your children. No wonder they got so damn rebellious and kicked your arse out of Mesopotamia-"

Another torrent of black mud blasted the Armored Being's helmeted face, causing him to just wordlessly escape as the mud started to melt his helmet and armor. With Emiya Hikaru still alive, there's no way he'd win against this monster in front of him. He will have to try another time…again and again…

Meanwhile, Tia looked at the unconscious Hikaru with warm eyes, gently running one hand around his cheeks. The healing is almost done, the bleeding stopped and all lost blood replaced to the last drop. She should have Hikaru rest properly now.

"Let's…go back…to the Inn…" Tia says with the best she can with cut-off words, before slowly carrying Hikaru, occasionally rocking him like a child as she walked. She does stop with the rocking once she was in the sight of humans, however.

_And thus, another day passes by Gameindustri…_

* * *

  _A/N:_

_-As shown in Jinako's and Hikaru's point of view, time passes a lot faster in Gameindustri than Earth, where 4 days passed on Earth whilst 4 months have already flowed in Gameindustri._

_If you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review. Constructive criticisms are welcomed~._


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